High court directs Maharashtra govt to take a call on FIR against civil hospital officials in newborn’s death in Satara MTP case

Kolhapur: The Bombay high court's Kolhapur bench on Thursday directed Maharashtra govt to take a decision on registering an FIR after an inquiry report indicted the Satara district civil surgeon and gynaecologist in the case filed by a 17-year-old rape survivor, who alleged that her newborn baby was starved to death for DNA sampling following unsuccessful medical termination of her 24-week pregnancy at the civil hospital.The HC said the principal secretary-2 (public health)'s inquiry report establishes that the civil hospital on March 16 submitted a 'totally false' report claiming that the MTP was successful. "The victim has given birth to a girl child. The (principal secretary's) report clearly refers that the newborn baby was not given any treatment for about 11 hours and consequently the baby had passed away. The report shows that after this court has passed the order dated 18th March 2026, an attempt has been made to fabricate the record to make a show of treatment being given to the child," the bench observed. "Learned AGP (additional govt pleader) shall take instructions from the Principal Secretary of the Government of Maharashtra about further action to be taken by the State of Maharashtra. The State of Maharashtra also to take decision regarding lodging of FIR," the HC order read.The survivor was raped in Chadchan town of Vijaypur district in Karnataka and was admitted in Satara Civil Hospital for medical termination of pregnancy (MTP). A zero FIR was lodged in Satara and was transferred to the Chadchan police where a case under POCSO Act has been registered, and the accused has been arrested. The civil hospital authorities had asked the survivor to approach the HC for MTP which she did and got permission from HC on March 7. The MTP was carried out on March 16.Later, the survivor approached the high court alleging that the newborn was starved to death despite pleas to the hospital authorities from her, her mother and a child welfare officer. The HC had then ordered an enquiry by the principal secretary (public health). E Ravendiran, principal secretary-2 (public health), submitted the inquiry report to the court stating, among other things, that the civil hospital on March 16 submitted a 'totally false' report claiming that the MTP was successful and that the baby was ‘not given any treatment for 11 hours'. The report recommended that Civil Surgeon Dr Yuvraj Karpe and gynaecologist Dr Chandsaheb Shikalgar be suspended and a department inquiry be initiated against them. "Both Karpe and Shikalgar have been suspended," the govt told the bench of Justice Madhav J Jamdar and Justice Pravin S Patil.The bench directed Satara superintendent of police (SP) to ensure continued police protection to the survivor and also directed Kolhapur SP to provide protection to advocate Mohansinh Rajput, who is representing her before the HC. The bench also ordered the HC Legal Services or District Legal Service Authority to take immediate steps to provide the survivor necessary treatment and counselling by a private psychiatrist and bear the cost of the same. Also, it directed appointments of para-legal volunteers to assist the survivors. The court has posted the matter for the next hearing on April 7.