Indian High Court allows minor rape victim to abort 20-week-old fetus

The Division bench of the Allahabad High Court comprising of Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh has allowed a minor rape victim to abort her 20-week-old foetus.

The victim’s father has approached the court on behalf of the minor victim and filed a petition. It has been submitted before the court that the victim was sexually abused, due to which she got pregnant. She is a minor and unmarried. The petitioner has come before the Court for abortion of foetus which she is carrying.

The Court has asked the consent of the victim/petitioner and her father for termination of pregnancy of the victim, both of them have specifically said that the victim would like to get her pregnancy terminated.

Considering the arguments of the petitioner and the available records, the court said that,

“Considering the medical report dated 15.07.2021 placed before the Court by Mr. Subham Tripathi, learned counsel for King Georges Medical University, we allow termination of pregnancy of the victim, which shall be done at an authorized medical hospital at the earliest, say, within a period of one week. In view of the aforesaid observation/direction, this writ petition is disposed of.”