Police is tracking cases to find out who else was involved in the racket that continued for years
Homeopath Babasaheb Khidrapure, who ran the Bharti Hospital in Mhaisal village in the Sangli district of Maharashtra, was remanded to police custody till March 17 after he was presented at the Miraj Magistrate Court on Tuesday afternoon. Police officers are currently looking at documents to find out old cases that could possibly lead to more doctors, pharmacists and others involved in the foeticide racket.
So far, the police have recovered 19 foetuses, of which most were in a highly decomposed state. DNA samples of eight have been sent to Pune for testing, the reports of which are awaited.
"At the moment, we have not suspended any officials. We will act once the five-member team formed submits its report and the result of the forensic tests are out," said Dr Archana Patil, Additional Director of Health Services, Maharashtra.
Sandeep aka Johnty, who did odd jobs at the Bharti Hospital, as well as Ravi Sutar, the milkman, have provided vital clues about the happenings at the hospital to the cops and have now turned witnesses.
It is a mystery how Khidrapure managed to save himself from the radar of health officials despite the presence of the rural health officer in the area, a primary health centre 100 metres away from Bharti hospital, and a civil hospital 15 km away.
"We know that the illegal abortions were being carried out for the past two to three years from the evidence gathered so far," said Dattatraya Shinde, SP, Sangli.
Khidrapure conducted the abortions despite not being an allopath or trained to do the procedures. "The tablet Misoprostol was inserted in the vagina of the women to induce abortion. Khidrapure would then wait for three hours for the foetus to be ejected out," said Shinde, talking about the modus operandi.
Assembly erupts
On Tuesday, Maharashtra Health Minister Dr Deepak Savant told the state Assembly that the government would not spare anyone in the case. When members of the Opposition questioned him, Savant said he would be visiting Sangli on Wednesday and would apprise the House on Thursday. In the Assembly, NCP MLA Dilip Walase-Patil questioned the law-and-order situation, while Jayant Patil demanded that an immediate statement be issued by the government.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Babasaheb-Bharti-Hospital")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}