The health department of Gurugram and Delhi has busted a racket of illegal prenatal gender tests of pregnant women in the national capital, Delhi. A doctor and an ASHA worker allegedly involved in conducting illegal prenatal gender tests were booked in a joint raid by the health departments of Gurugram and Delhi.

Dr. Virender Yadav, Gurugram civil surgeon, said that the team of the health department caught four accused and handed them over to Delhi Police.

Police have lodged a case under various sections, including the Pre-conception and Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) (PNDT) Act, and started a probe into it. The PNDT Act bans prenatal sex determination.

The official said that the Delhi health department team sealed the items recovered from the spot, which include an ultrasound machine.

Dr. Yadav said he had information that ASHA worker Anita is involved in getting pre-natal gender tests done on pregnant women with the help of Dr. Neelam Walia at the Walia Maternity Centre in Sarita Vihar, Delhi. Anita charged ₹ 40,000–Rs 50,000 for the job, the official said.

He added that, based on the information, a team that included Dr. Pradeep, Dr. Harsh, Dr. Ravi, and assistant Subhash Sharma was formed. A pregnant woman was asked to be a fake customer and introduced to Anita, who asked for ₹ 40,000 for the gender test, Dr. Yadav said.

Dr. Yadav said that it was on Monday when ASHA worker Anita reached Walia Maternity Centre in Sarita Vihar, Delhi, with the woman, who was a fake customer. At the center, the woman got an ultrasound done without any documents. The Gurugram health department team reached there and conducted a raid.

Further, Dr. Yadav said that Anita, Dr. Neelam Walia, her husband Dushyant Walia, and their son Rawal Walia were caught and handed over to Delhi Police. During the raid, ₹ 10,000 was recovered from the possession of Neelam Walia and ₹ 10,000 from Anita.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Komal Bhoi)