HIV positive pregnant rape victim seeks compensation

New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) A pregnant rape victim on Monday sought compensation from the Bihar government after doctors at AIIMS said in their report that her pregnancy could not be terminated due to its advanced stage.

The woman, who is also HIV positive, had moved the Supreme Court last week after the Patna High Court rejected her plea for medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) in the 17th week of her pregnancy on the grounds that the termination would involve major surgical procedure.

However, the victim's counsel Vrinda Grover told the apex court that the Patna High Court came to the conclusion that surgical procedure may be hazardous to the victim as there is compelling state interest in keeping the unborn child alive.

The victim was examined by a medical board on the directions of the Patna High Court in March this year.

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971 (amended in 2002) allows abortion upto 20 weeks of pregnancy.

In response to her plea, a bench comprising of Justices Dipak Misra, A.M. Khanwilkar directed a medical board at All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital to examine if it was safe to terminate her pregnancy.

While directing the medical examination of the victim, the top court had observed: "We are concerned with saving the life of a destitute who was sexually assaulted and is suffering from serious medical ailment, not to undergo further suffering."

The medical board at AIIMS opined that MTP could not be performed as she was now in the advance stage of pregnancy.

The victim was raped in Patna when she ventured out of the shelter home, Shanti Kutir. She is in the care of NGO Koshish.

When she found out earlier this year that she was pregnant, she decided to terminate the foetus.

(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)