Advertisement
Bengaluru: In a major crackdown, the Bengaluru Police have apprehended Dr. Chandan Ballal and his lab technician, Nisar, for their alleged involvement in performing approximately 900 illegal abortions over the past three years. The arrests were made last week, shedding light on a clandestine operation where the accused duo reportedly charged ₹30,000 for each abortion conducted at a hospital in Mysuru.
Earlier this month, the manager of the hospital, Meena, and the receptionist, Rizma Khan, were also taken into custody. The arrests follow the dismantling of a sex-determination and female foeticide racket last month in the district headquarters town of Mandya, near Mysuru.
The initial breakthrough occurred with the apprehension of two individuals, Shivalinge Gowda and Nayan Kumar, who were caught transporting a pregnant woman for an abortion in a car. Subsequent interrogations led authorities to Dr. Chandan Ballal and his associates.
During the investigation, it was revealed that the accused operated a jaggery unit in Mandya, disguising it as an ultrasound scan center. A police team later seized the scan machine from the unit, which lacked valid authorization and official documents.
A senior police officer stated, “Preliminary enquiry has revealed that in the last three years, the accused doctor along with his accomplices have managed to perform around 900 illegal abortions at the Mysuru Hospital and charged about ₹30,000 for each abortion.”
The ongoing investigation aims to apprehend additional suspects linked to the illegal abortion racket. Authorities are intensifying efforts to bring all involved parties to justice and address the broader implications of such illicit activities in the healthcare sector.
