Minor rape victim moves HC to abort 13-week pregnancy

:A 17-year-old rape victim has moved a petition in the Rajasthan High Court to abort her 13 week-old foetus.

After primary hearing of the petition, the court on Friday directed the state government to set up a medical board and give its opinion on allowing the victim to terminate her pregnancy and submit its report by Monday.

The court on the basis of the report will decide its verdict.

The victim was 14 when she was kidnapped and raped by the accused.

The victim’s mother filed a habeas corpus petition in the high court for the release of her minor daughter from the possession of the abductors, following which the Bhilwara district police presented the victim in front of the court on June 5.

During the hearing, the counsel for the victim told the court that the minor was pregnant.

The court directed for a medical examination to ascertain the pregnancy, following which a medical board examined her and submitted a report saying that victim was more than 13 week into her pregnancy.

The court on June 5 ordered the victim to send to a shelter home and directed the district superintendent of police to record a statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC ) in front of the magistrate.

The court observed that the financial condition of the victim’s mother was not good and she was not able to take care of her daughter and added that it was the responsibility of the state government to take care of the victim so that she can give birth to the child.

The court also ordered the district legal service authority to open a bank account for the victim and deposit ₹3 lakh under the Victim Compensation Act.

The victim sought permission through her mother to file a fresh petition in the high court seeking that she be allowed to terminate her pregnancy.

“We told the court that the victim does not want to give birth to the child, so she should be given permission for abortion,” Nimesh Suthar, the counsel for victim said, adding that the minor was mentally depressed and was not mentally prepared to give birth to the child.

During the hearing on Friday, the court ordered that a medical examination of the victim be carried out and the report be summated by Monday, said government counsel JP Bhaedwaj.