Pregnant rape victim moves HC for medical, financial help

Abandoned by her family, a 19-year old rape victim, who is in her advance stage of pregnancy, has moved the Delhi High Court seeking medical and financial assistance to give birth to her child.
Issuing a notice to the Centre and Delhi government, Justice Rajiv Shakdher sought their replies by June 6 on the plea of a girl saying she got pregnant pursuant to the rape and sought a directions to the Ministry of Women and Child Development of central government and the Health Ministry of city government to provide assistance to her to deliver the baby.
Appearing for the girl, counsel Nishit Kush and Vijay Kinger said that due to social stigma, her family has abandoned her and she is now sheltered in one of her distant relative's place.

The counsel told the court that that the victim is eight months pregnant and needed medical treatment and care to deliver the baby.
"The victim is in a pitiable financial condition and cannot meet the expenses which are required by the hospitals for delivery of child," her lawyer told the court.
Filing the plea, the girl said she hails from a very poor family and her family members are not able to meet the expenses incurred for her treatment and abandoned her.
"The stigma attached to deliver a child without marriage causes grave mental injury to the petitioner coupled with financial scarcity. The pregnancy caused by the rape and to carry a child in the womb as a result of conception through rape is extremely traumatic but also humiliating...," said the plea seeking a direction to government to take care of the child after his/her birth till the child attains majority.

Her plea said the victim was raped by her neighbour one Sanjay Choudhury in October last year and she was also threatened not to disclose the incident to anyone otherwise her brother will be killed.