Gujarat HC directs hospital to examine 12-yr-old girl raped by father over plea to terminate pregnancy

The Gujarat High Court has directed authorities at a government hospital in Vadodara to facilitate medical examination of a 12-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped by her father, on a plea seeking termination of her nearly 28-week pregnancy.

The girl's mother approached the high court for permission to get the minor's pregnancy aborted a couple of days after the victim's father was arrested by Dediapada police in the state's Narmada district for allegedly raping her.

In its order on Monday, Justice Samir Dave directed the medical officer and medical superintendent of Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad General Hospital in Vadodara to get the victim's examination conducted on Tuesday by a panel of doctors under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act and submit a report on Wednesday.

The court also directed the inspector of Dediapada police station to take the victim, who lives in a village in the tribal-dominated Dediapada taluka of Narmada district, to the hospital for the medical examination and "take care of the situation in a very proper manner."

The petitioner's lawyer had sought an urgent hearing in the matter, submitting that the victim was allegedly raped by her father and her mother subsequently approached the police following which an FIR was lodged on September 2.

A medical examination of the victim conducted earlier revealed she was 27 or 28 weeks pregnant, the lawyer said.