MP HC allows 19-year-old gang-rape victim to terminate 'unwanted pregnancy'

The Madhya Pradesh High Court's bench here Tuesday granted permission to a gang-rape victim to abort her nine-week-old foetus.

Justice Virender Singh, presiding over the vacation bench, allowed the 19-year-old woman's writ petition, seeking permission to terminate her "unwanted pregnancy".

"The petitioner is permitted to approach District Hospital, Dewas within a period of one week for termination of pregnancy," Justice Singh said.

"Let the DNA sample of foetus be preserved (for use in trial of the case), he said.

"In the present case, the pregnancy is nine weeks old," the bench observed and maintained that a medical board constituted by it has opined that it can be terminated.

Advocate Dharmendra Chelawat said his client pleaded that she was in mental shock after being raped and wanted to rid herself of the "unwanted pregnancy", keeping in view her future.

According to police, the woman was allegedly abducted and raped by two men in the neighbouring Dewas district.

A trial court in Dewas is hearing the case.