Baby rape case: Immediately shift victim to AIIMS, says SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed anguish and concern over the brutal rape of an eight-month-old girl child in the capital and directed her to be shifted immediately to AIIMS to ensure better treatment care.

A three-judge Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Kanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud in its order on a PIL filed by advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava said, “As presently advised, the young child should get all necessary treatment and special care.”

The court said it was brought to our notice that an eight months’ old female child has been sexually assaulted and is presently getting treatment in the Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital, Connaught Place, New Delhi.

The bench, after hearing Additional Solicitors General P.S. Narasimha, Tushar Mehta and Ms Pinky Anand, for the Union of India and they spoke in one voice that the health of the child has to be taken care of.

In view of the aforesaid situation, the Bench directed that two competent doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) shall go along with special ambulance to the hospital where the girl child is at present undergoing treatment and, thereafter, take a decision whether the child can be shifted to AIIMS to have better care and treatment. The Bench said, “two doctors, who are the experts in the field, must appreciate the concern expressed by this Court. The Secretary or any other person in-charge of Delhi Legal Services Authority shall accompany the doctors. They shall submit a report before this Court by Thursday. In case they decide that the child should be shifted, they shall shift the child immediately to AIIMS under their personal supervision and make suitable arrangements. We are sure that the parents of the child shall fully cooperate.”

The petitioner submitted that when such a brutal sexual offence has taken place, the state has to show concern and appropriate treatment has to be given to the child apart from grant of compensation.