Radiologist arrested for allegedly running secret abortion operation with his wife

A respected radiologist and his wife are under investigation for allegedly running a back door abortion operation in India. 

Harshad Acharya, 58, and his wife were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of providing illegal abortions in a guesthouse in Bavla—a town in Gujarat, India—according to the Times of India. The couple, who are said to be respected within the community, own Ashirwad Imaging Center in Soni Chawl in Odhav. 

Acharya conducted the secret procedures alongside Hemlata Darji, who is a former nurse. According to police, Acharya was “in constant touch with Darji” and would pay her 10,000 Rupee—the equivalent of around $117 U.S. dollars—to assist with the abortions. Darji was the first arrest made in the case. It is believed that she helped orchestrate the procedures for Acharya, and in some cases, did them herself even though she has no medical training that qualifies her to do so. 

Police also detailed the secretive nature of the proceedings. Acharya and Darji allegedly used code words with patients to inform them of the sex of their baby, despite multiple posters in their clinic saying, “No sex determination test is done here” in multiple languages, including English. Sources with inside knowledge of the operation say that if Acharya said “blessings” with a smile, that indicated the sex was male, while him saying “everything will be alright” with a serious look signaled female. 

The duo conducted five confirmed abortions over a period of eight months, though police “suspect there might be more.” 

India’s laws on pregnancy termination allow women to undergo abortions only in cases of medical necessity. This includes instances in which continuing the pregnancy presents a serious risk of physical or mental harm to the mother or if an unborn child is likely to face severe physical or mental abnormalities.