TN doctors caught performing sex-selective abortion and screening, yet no action taken

The state medical council is yet to have elected members, for action to be taken.

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The Directorate of Health Services of the Government of Tamil Nadu has caught eight doctors who have committed offences such as sex determination and sex-selective abortion in the last nine months, but no action has been taken against them as the state medical council is yet to have elected members, reports The Times of India.

Due to internal issues among the elected members, Madras High Court had appointed a retired judge to conduct elections for the appointment of new members. The previous tenure of the members had ended on June 19.

Justice K Venkataraman who was appointed to conduct the elections told ToI that he cannot carry out the polls until the council prepares the electoral rolls before calling for nominations.

Despite the officials from the Directorate of Medical Services filing cases and seizing the scan machines, they are unable to stop doctors from the practice. “It's like letting a drunken man continue driving even after booking him,” said a senior directorate of medical services official to ToI.

In June, a government doctor who is also an assistant professor at the Government Medical College in Sivaganga was caught collecting money for the sex determination of a foetus from a woman, who was acting as a decoy.

Dr. Arun Dhandapani, the accused, had been carrying out this work for the past few years, sources from Directorate of Medical Services had told The New Indian Express.

However, even after directorate of medical education started an inquiry, he continues his practice. An official said that usually the names of the doctors are submitted to the medical council and they issue show cause notices, conduct inquiry and then suspend them or debar them in less than three months.