Abc Through Natural Guardian Father Ashok Shankarrao Avadhute v. The State Of Maharashtra And Another
1 wp 7226.19
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
BENCH AT AURANGABAD WRIT PETITION NO. 7226 OF 2019 ABC (MINOR) THROUGH HER NATURAL GUARDIAN FATHER ASHOK SHANKARRAO AVADHUTE
VERSUS
THE STATE OF MAHARASHTRA AND ANOTHER ...
Advocate for Petitioner :
Mrs. Kshirsagar Yogita M.
AGP for Respondents / State : Mrs. G. L. Deshpande ...
CORAM: S. V. GANGAPURWALA & MANGESH S. PATIL, JJ.
DATE:
th JUNE, 2019 PER COURT:
1.
The petitioner is a minor aged 15 years and 10 months. The present petition is filed seeking permission to terminate the pregnancy. It is held that the pregnancy is of six weeks.
2.
According to the learned counsel for the petitioner, the pregnancy is caused by rape. The FIR has been lodged. It is submitted by the learned counsel for the petitioner that the accused is in jail. The statement of the petitioner is recorded.
2 wp 7226.19 3.
The petitioner is a minor. In view of that the provisions of POSCO Act would apply.
4.
The petitioner has been examined and it is submitted that the pregnancy is of 5 weeks and 6 days as on 06.06.2019. The same would be almost more than 7 weeks today.
5.
The complaint is also registered and filed.
The statement of petitioner is also recorded on 01.06.2019. The same reads thus - " . . . . .
महहदय, सवसशशसववनयससदरआहसवक, नमदगनहसचसवफयसरदशनसवअशहक शकरअवधगतसवय३५वररस.
बहसलशयसशनशपहलशससटसशनमगकमसबसद यसथस वद. ११/०४/ रहजश तकसर वदलश वक, वदनसशक ०८/०४/ २०१९रहजशससयशकसळश०४.
००वसजतसचससगमसरससमसझश मगलगशशवसतसअशहकअवधगतसवय१५वरस०७मवहनसवहगसवसतशलवतचश मसवशशलकसमशबसईअवधगतसवहचसघरशजसऊनयसतसमहणमनघरसतमनगसलश तशआजपयरतवमळमनअलशनसहशवगरसजबसबसवरनगनहसदसखलकरन तपससपहउवनजज. एस.
पसटशलयसशचयसकडसदसणयसतआलसतयसशनश वफयसरदशचशमगलगशशवसतसवआरहपशचसशहधघसतलसअसतस, पशवडत मगलगशवआरहपशहवदरसबसदयसथसवमळमनआलयसनस, तसथसदहनपशच समक, घटनससथळपशचनसमसकरनपशवडतमगलगशवआरहपशनसव रहवहदससदसववदससपवसरयससतसबयसतघसऊनपहईचसठसणसमगकमसबसदयसथस हजसरआलस, तयसनशतरपईडशचयसमगलशसववचसरपमसकरन, जवसब
3 wp 7226.19 ननदववलसअसतस, वतनसवतचयसजसबमधसआरहपशरहवहदससदसववदसस पवसर, रसबऱहसळशहसडशडवरसरपमवरवतलसतससदसऊनबहलणयसचयस पयतनकरतहहतस.
वदनसशक८/०४/ २०१९रहजशससयशकसळश, चसर वसजतसचयससगमसरससतयसनस, मलस बहलसयचसआहसमहणमनघरसचयस बसजमलसबहलसवमनघसऊन, मलसआपणदहघसलगकरनअसमहणमन, तयसचसमहटर ससयकलवर बसमनवबलडरपयरतनसलस.
तसथमनST नस हवदरसबसदयसथसनसऊनबसबगलसलसगशशलकगमसरमगजगमदसरवतयसचशपतनश यसशचससहबतममलपलशचचरसतयसजवळतयसशचयसरमवररसवहलह.
तयसनशतरतयसशचसरमचयसबसजमलसरमकरन१५/०४/ २०१९रहजश रसवहलह.
तयसवदवशशरसतश१०.
००वसजतसचयससगमसरससरहवहदसस मसझयसजवळआलसवमसझयसछसतशवरहसतसनसचसपलमलसगलस. तयसलस मशववरहधकसलसअसतस, तयसनसमलसलगसचयसअवमशदसखवमनमसझयस अशगसवरशलकपडसवतयसचयसअशगसवरशलकपडसकसढमन, शसरशररकसशभशध ठसवलस. तयसनसशतर, दहनवदवससआडतयसनसमसझयससहबत, मसझयस मनसववरद, शसरशररकसशबशधठसवलस.
वगवरसजवसबवदलयसनसससदर गनहसतकलसम३६६(अ), ३७६(३) भसदशवववसहकसवलश४, ६, लव. अ.
बस. सश.
आधश२०१२पमसणसवसढकरणयसत आलश.
ससदरगनयसचसतपसआमहशसवततकरशतआहहत.
..."
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
4 wp 7226.19 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 woman to have been caused by rape, the anguish caused by such pregnancy shall be presumed to constitute a gave 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
5 wp 7226.19 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.
[MANGESH S. PATIL, J.] [S. V. GANGAPURWALA, J.] marathe