Nearly a decade after the tragic death of a 22-year-old woman following a cesarean section conducted by an unqualified individual at an unauthorized medical facility in Amroha district, Uttar Pradesh, a court has sentenced two individuals to life imprisonment.
On September 29, the court found Wilson and Ghulam Mustafa, both in their thirties, guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, cheating, and breaching the Indian Medical Act.
Following their conviction, both men, who had previously been released on bail, were re-arrested and taken into custody.
The incident leading to the charges dates back to October 3, 2017, when a farmer named Nem Singh brought his pregnant wife, Ruby, to a medical center due to her labor pains. The prosecution claimed that Wilson, an unqualified practitioner operating the center, along with his wife, assured Ruby’s family of a normal delivery. He administered medications and set up an intravenous drip for her. When Ruby’s health worsened, her family alerted Wilson.
According to the prosecution, Wilson then informed the family that Ruby needed surgery. He subsequently called Mustafa, another unqualified practitioner from Naya Gaon village, to assist with the procedure. At approximately midnight, both men carried out the operation without obtaining consent from Ruby’s family, as stated by the prosecution.
Unfortunately, Ruby passed away shortly after the surgery. In the aftermath, the district administration sealed the medical facility, and a First Information Report (FIR) was filed against Wilson, his wife, and Mustafa.
Both Wilson and Mustafa were arrested and imprisoned, although they were released on bail during the trial process.
The investigation revealed no evidence against Wilson’s wife, leading to her exoneration. Consequently, a chargesheet was filed against Wilson and Mustafa.
Ruby’s surviving child is now nine years old, having lived through this ordeal.
“Throughout the trial, the court heard testimonies from 12 prosecution witnesses, of which six, including the complainant, became hostile. However, we managed to effectively cross-examine these witnesses, thereby reinforcing the prosecution’s case,” stated Sanjeev Chaudhary, the Additional District Government Counsel for Amroha.
Furthermore, the court has directed that notices be issued to the former district magistrate and the chief medical officer of Amroha, who were in office in October 2017, requesting their explanations regarding the alleged failure to adhere to directives from the Supreme Court and High Court, according to Chaudhary.
