‘Illegal abortions’: 4 arrested confess to aiding Bengaluru hospital owner

Bengaluru: Four women, who were arrested after a female foetus was found in a dustbin inside the operation theatre of a private hospital in Hoskote on the outskirts of Bengaluru, have confessed to their role in aiding the hospital owner with “illegal abortions”, well-placed police sources said on Friday.

Nurses Anita and Netra, hired house help Revati and technician Radhika, who were detained by the Thirumalashettyhally police, were formally arrested on Friday morning after interrogation.

“They have confessed that they used to assist the prime suspect when he used to perform the abortions,” a well-placed source told DH. “The prime suspect is still at large and efforts are on to arrest him.”

On December 13, the District Family Welfare Officer, who, along with other officials, was at the SPG Hospital and Diagnostic Centre in Bengaluru Rural district’s Thirumalashettyhally to seize an “unregistered” portable ultrasound scanning machine, found the 16- to 20-week-old foetus wrapped in a black polythene cover and dumped in the dustbin.

Sreenivasa, the hospital owner who claimed to be a radiologist, wasn’t on the premises during the inspection. He was named as the prime suspect in the case. 

Dr Vivek Dorai, Deputy Director (Medical Acts), told DH that no official records of Sreenivasa being a radiologist were found. 

The hospital had a licence under the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment Act. Still, it did not have permission to use the portable ultrasound scanning machine nor was it licenced under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act to conduct abortions, the FIR noted.

Thirumalashettyhally police registered a criminal case against Sreenivasa and the four women suspects under relevant sections of the Pre-conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, and the Indian Penal Code.

A special team led by an inspector was also formed to trane and arrest Sreenivasa.