The Health Department of Gujarat took decisive action on Wednesday by closing down Mamta Multispeciality Hospital in Surat. This move followed a raid ordered by Health Minister Praful Pansheriya, who acted on reports suggesting the hospital was engaging in illegal practices related to foetal sex determination and selection, which are prohibited by the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act in India.
As a result of the raid, the hospital was shut down, and a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against its owner, Ramgopal Shrikishan Khandelwal, a licensed pharmacist. The charges brought against him included violations of the PCPNDT Act, the Gujarat Clinical Establishments Act, and the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, with the FIR being filed on May 4.
Previously, Khandelwal had managed Shivay Multispeciality Hospital, which was closed on November 6, 2025, due to similar infractions related to sex determination. Although the hospital was permitted to reopen on January 29, 2026, through court orders, Khandelwal allegedly rebranded the establishment as Mamta Multispeciality Hospital and resumed operations recently. Police Inspector Ajitsinh Vala indicated that Khandelwal’s arrest is imminent.
In his remarks on Wednesday, the health minister emphasized that measures would be taken against any officials found to be negligent in their duties to prevent such illegal activities. Following this directive, the Gujarat Health Commissioner’s office issued a show-cause notice to Dr. Anil B Patel, the Chief District Health Officer (CDHO) of Surat, who also serves as the ex-officio District Appropriate Authority responsible for the enforcement of the PCPNDT Act.
In a video statement, Minister Pansheriya expressed concern over the situation, stating, “We have taken action against Mamta Multispeciality Hospital for engaging in sex determination and unauthorized termination of pregnancies. Upon receiving information regarding these illegal operations at 2:08 pm on May 4, I instructed the district health department to conduct a raid. During the operation, three women were found seeking these services. Despite our efforts with initiatives like ‘Beti bachao, beti padhao,’ there are still women who wish to terminate female pregnancies.”
The minister criticized the district health administration for its inattentiveness, noting that several individuals had sought sex determination and termination services on a daily basis. “This is a significant issue for a civilized society. We have issued a show-cause notice to the district health officer and will initiate action against all officials who are negligent in their responsibilities regarding health, drug safety, or food safety,” he asserted.
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