Bombay High Court
Abc Through Natural Guardian Father ... vs The Union Of India And Others on 11 July, 2019
Author: Prasanna B. Varale
Bench: Prasanna B. Varale
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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
BENCH AT AURANGABAD
WRIT PETITION NO.8374 OF 2019
ABC Age 13 years (Minor)
Through her Father and Natural
Guardian
Rajendra Jagannath Agalave,
Age: 40 years, Occ: Labour,
R/o. At Post Shirur, Tal. Vaijapur,
Dist. Aurangabad PETITIONER
VERSUS
1. The Union of India,
Through Secretary,
Ministry of Health,
Nirman Bhavan, New Delhi
2. The State of Maharashtra
Through Secretary,
Health & Family Welfare Department,
Mantralaya, Mumbai-32
3. Chief Medical Officer,
Civil Hospital, Aurangabad
Tal. & Dist. Aurangabad RESPONDENTS
Mr Raj S. Devdhe, Advocate for the petitioner;
Mr D.G. Nagode, Advocate for respondent No. 1;
Mrs A. V. Gondhalekar, A.G.P. for respondent Nos. 2 & 3
CORAM : PRASANNA B. VARALE
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AND
R.G. AVACHAT,JJ.
DATED : 11th JULY, 2019
ORAL ORDER :
The petitioner is a minor aged 13 years. The present petition is filed seeking permission to terminate the pregnancy. It is held that the pregnancy is of 23 weeks and 03 days.
2. According to learned Counsel for the petitioner, the pregnancy is caused by rape. The F.I.R. has been lodged.
3. The petitioner is a minor. In view of that, the provisions of POCSO Act would apply.
4. The petitioner has been examined and it is submitted that the pregnancy is of 23 weeks and 03 days as on 10th July, 2019.
5. The complaint is also registered and filed, which reads thus:
(to protect the identity of victim, the following details are purposely kept blank) "पथम खबर ददनननक ०४.०७.२०१९ मम (......) वय ३५ वरर वयवसनय गगदहणम ::: Uploaded on - 11/07/2019 ::: Downloaded on - 12/07/2019 07:14:42 ::: (3) 8374.19wp (jk.....)a (....) le{k पपलमस सटटशन दशऊर यटथट यटऊन सननगतट दक, मम वरमल दठकनणचम रनहणनरम अससन वरमल दठकनणम मनझट पतम (....), दपन ममलम uko (....) (ABC) व ममलगन (....) असट एकत रनहतपय. तसटच आमहम दस म ऱयनचम शटतम करन उपजमदवकन भनगदवतप. मनझम मपठम ममलगम (....) लहनन ममलगन (....) हट औरनगनबनद यटथट मनझट भनऊ (....) यननचयनकडट रनहणयनसनठम व दशकणनसनठम आहटत. मनझम मधलम ममलगम (....) दह आमचयन सपबतच रनहत अससन (.....) ;k शनळट त (....) दशकत आहट. frph tUerkjh[k (...) ममलगम (...) दह मनगमल चनर मदहनयनपनससन नटहमम पपट दख म त आहट, पपटनचन तनस वनटतप अशन तकनरम मनझयनकडट करमत हपतम. मम व मनझयन प rh नट दतलन (...) यटथट खनजगम दवनखननयनत दपन तमन वटळटस दनखवसन औरधपपचनर घटतलट हपतट . मनगमल दहन ददवसनपसवर (....) दहलन जनसत पमनणनत पपटदख म मचन तनस हपऊ लनगलयननट आमहम दतलन औरनगनबनद यटथमल हटगडटवनर हहससपटल मधयट दनखदवलट . तयनवटळम तटथमल डहकटरनननम सपनपगनफफ कटलयनवर ममलगम (....)२२ आठवडनचम गरपदर असलयनचट सननदगतलट. हट ऐकसन आमहनलन कनय करनवट हट कनहमच समजलट ननहम.
तयनननतर आमहम घरम यटऊन ममलमलन नककफ कनय घडलट हट दवचनरणयनचन पयतन कटलन परनतम (....) दह वयननट लहनन असलयननट दतलन कनय झनलट हट कनहमच सननगतन यटत नवहतट. मम, मनझट पतम व भनऊ (....) असट दमळस न (....) दहस दवशवनसनत घटऊन कनहम पकनर घडलन कन हट मनगमल १० ददवसनपनससन सतत दवचनरनत हपतप दतनट आज रपजम मलन सननदगतलट दक, अनदनजट ५-६ मदहनयनपसवर रनतमचयन वटळम सनत तट आठ वनजणयनचयन सममनरनस सनडनससनठम महणसन घरनजवळ शटतनमधयटगटलट असतन एक ममलगन आलन व तयननट मनझट ततड दनबसन मनझयनशम जबरदसतम कटलम हपतम असट सननदगतलट. दतचयनसपबत असट कगतय करणनरन वयकफ कपण हपतन हट दतलन सननगतन यटत ननहम. दतनट हट सननदगतलयनबरपबर लनगलमच आमहम आज रपजम यटऊन तकनर दटत आहट. मनगमल अनदनजट ५-६ मदहनयनपसवर रनतमचयन वटळम सनत तट ::: Uploaded on - 11/07/2019 ::: Downloaded on - 12/07/2019 07:14:42 ::: (4) 8374.19wp आठ वनजणयनचयन सममनरनस मनझम ममलगम (....) सनडनससनठम महणसन घरनबनहटर शटतनमधयट गटलम असतन एकन अजनत इसमननट दतचट ततड दनबसन दतचयन सपबत जबरदसतम शरमर सनबनध कटलट व तयनमधयट मनझम ममलगम २२ आठवडनचम गरपदर रनदहलम आहट. सनदर अजनत इसमनदवरद मनझम तकनर अससन तयनचयनवर कनरवनई हपणटस दवननतम आहट . मनझम वरमल तपनसतमपण मनझयन सननगणयनपमनणट कहमपमटर वर टनईप कटलम तम मम वनचमन पदहलम तम मनझयन सननगणयनपमनणट बरपबर आहट. समक."
6. Explanation 1 to Section 3 of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 provides that where any pregnancy is alleged by the pregnant woman to have been caused by rape, the anguish caused by such pregnancy shall be presumed to constitute a grave injury to the mental health of the pregnant woman. Sub Section 2 of Section 3 provides that subject to the provisions of Sub Section 4, a pregnancy may be terminated by a registered medical practitioner if the continuance of the pregnancy would involve a risk to the life of the pregnant woman or of grave injury to her physical or mental health. Reading explanation 1 to Section 3(2)(b) conjointly with Section 3(2)(b) (i) it is manifest that pregnancy can be terminated if the continuance of pregnancy would involve a risk to the life of the pregnant woman or of grave injury to her physical or mental health and if the pregnancy is alleged by the pregnant ::: Uploaded on - 11/07/2019 ::: Downloaded on - 12/07/2019 07:14:42 ::: (5) 8374.19wp woman to have been caused by rape, the anguish caused by such pregnancy shall be presumed to constitute a grave injury to the mental health of the pregnant woman. It is further provided in Sub Section 3 that whether the continuance of a pregnancy would involve such risk of injury to the health as is mentioned in Sub Section 2, account may be taken of the pregnant woman's actual or reasonable foreseeable environment. If the pregnant woman has not attained the age of 18 years, then the consent in writing of the guardian is mandatory. The present petition is moved by the guardian of the minor pregnant woman.
7. Considering all the aforesaid aspects of the matter, it would be appropriate to grant permission to the petitioner to terminate the pregnancy. The natural guardian of the petitioner i.e. her father shall file an affidavit to the Court about his consent for the termination of pregnancy.
8. The writ petition stands disposed of accordingly. No costs.
9. Authenticated copy be given.
[R.G. AVACHAT, J.] [PRASANNA B. VARALE, J.]
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