An Indian radiologist has ended up in jail after a sting operation allegedly caught him performing an illegal sex determination test with an ultrasound scanner.
Dr. Rajeev Bhatia of Gurgaon spent 24 days in jail after local health authorities allegedly caught him performing a sex determination scan at his ultrasound clinic on a decoy patient, according to an article from the Tribune News Service. Such sex determination scans are illegal in India under the country's Preconception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (PDNT) Act, which is designed to prevent expecting parents from aborting female fetuses based on the outcome of ultrasound scans.
Bhatia charges that he was targeted by health authorities because he filed public interest litigation in state courts in Punjab and Haryana, charging the authorities with selectively enforcing PDNT violations and protecting radiologists who paid for protection from enforcement. The High Court of Punjab and Haryana sided with Bhatia, criticizing the health authorities for arresting him just days after the litigation was filed, according to the article.
Bhatia now fears for his life, the story said, and he has told local courts of threats he received after filing his complaint. For their part, the local health authorities have denied Bhatia's allegations and pointed out that he has been charged twice in the past for performing illegal sex determination tests; he was acquitted in one case, and the other is under appeal.
