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‘Woman’s right to choose…’ Bombay HC allows termination of 32-week pregnancy with foetal abnormalities

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A woman has the right to choose whether to continue her pregnancy or not and the decision is hers and hers alone to make, the Bombay High Court said while allowing a married woman to terminate her 32-week pregnancy after the foetus was detected with severe abnormalities.

The woman had approached HC seeking to terminate her pregnancy after a sonography revealed the foetus had severe abnormalities and that the baby would be born with physical and mental disabilities.

“Given a severe foetal abnormality, the length of the pregnancy does not matter. The petitioner has taken an informed decision. It is not an easy one. But that decision is hers, and hers alone to make. The right to choose is of the petitioner’s. It is not the right of the Medical Board,” the court said in its order.

Refusing termination of pregnancy only on grounds of delay would not only be condemning the foetus to a less than optimal life but would also be condemning the mother to a future that will almost certainly rob her of every positive attribute of parenthood, the HC said.


Denial of her right to dignity

“It would be a denial of her right to dignity, and her reproductive and decisional autonomy. The mother knows today there is no possibility of having a normal healthy baby at the end of this delivery,” the court said.

“Accepting the Medical Board’s view is not just to condemn the foetus to a substandard life but is to force on the petitioner and her husband an unhappy and traumatic parenthood. The effect on them and their family cannot even be imagined,” it added.

The petitioner’s foetus is detected with both microcephaly and lissencephaly, and this is what the future portends, the bench said.

Asserting that the rights of the woman should never be compromised in the “blind application of a statute”, the court said, “Justice may have to be blindfolded; it can never be allowed to be blindsided. We are agnostic about the relative positions of parties. We can never be agnostic about where justice needs to be delivered.”

Moral dilemma

It said cases such as this often raise profound moral questions and dilemmas, but it is immutable that the “arc of the moral universe always bends towards justice”.

The bench said the existence of the foetal anomaly, as well as its severity, was certain as also the fact that it was detected late.

“Because it is difficult to predict at birth what problems will occur, microcephalic babies need constant and regular follow up and check-ups with health care providers. There is no known cure or standard treatment for it. In more extreme cases, microcephalic babies need intervention almost constantly,” the court said.

Most disturbingly, the prognosis for children with lissencephaly depends on the degree of brain malformation, it added.

The bench noted the medical board did not take into account the social and economic position of the couple.

“It ignores their milieu entirely. It does not even attempt to envision the kind of life, one with no quality at all to speak of, that the petitioner must endure for an indefinite future if the Board’s recommendation is to be followed,” the HC said.

“The Board really does only one thing: because late, therefore no. And that is plainly wrong, as we have seen,” the court said while allowing the pregnancy to be terminated.

Crime

Palghar Crime: Naigaon Police Arrest 35-Year-Old Murder Accused From Ship At Okha Port In Gujarat After Month-Long Manhunt

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Palghar, Maharashtra: In a significant breakthrough, the Naigaon Police have arrested a murder accused who had been absconding for nearly a month. The accused, Sunil Kharpat Prajapati (35), was traced and detained from a ship docked at Okha-Dwarka port in Gujarat after a meticulous manhunt.

The case dates back to September 7, 2025, when a dispute broke out between two workers of Synergy Hygiel Company at Kaman, Vasai (East). The deceased, Dilip Saroj, and the accused, Prajapati, had been given money by their employer, Prakash Ghunkar Chamaria, to share expenses for meals. However, Prajapati allegedly withheld the amount from Saroj, sparking a heated quarrel.

According to police, during the altercation, Prajapati assaulted Saroj with a blunt object, inflicting severe injuries on his head, eyes, and right arm. Saroj succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment, leading police to upgrade the charges to murder under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

Given the gravity of the crime, senior officers formed two dedicated teams from the Crime Detection Branch to trace the fugitive. Acting on credible intelligence, investigators learned that the accused had taken shelter aboard a vessel at Okha port in Gujarat. Over 200 ships in the vicinity were thoroughly searched before police located Prajapati hiding on one of them.

He was taken into custody and later confessed to his role in the crime during questioning, officials said. The accused is now in police custody, and further investigation is underway.

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Maharashtra

Ruckus created in Kurla over I Love Muhammad sticker, Soumya’s ultimatum, Soumya’s visit again after no progress in investigation, attempt to worsen the situation

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Mumbai: The controversy over I Love Muhammad has intensified in Mumbai, Maharashtra and Mumbai. BJP leader Kirat Soumya has objected to the pasting of I Love Muhammad stickers on vehicles at traffic stops in the Kurla area on the outskirts of Mumbai and demanded the registration of an FIR. After giving a 48-hour ultimatum to the Kurla police station, Kirat Soumya has again visited the Kurla police station today and demanded the registration of a case for the forcible pasting of stickers on vehicles. In this matter, the police have asked Kirat Soumya to consult the law department and seek time for progress in the matter until Tuesday. When Kirat Soumya was asked what he had against I Love Muhammad and why he opposed it, he denied it and said that everyone has the right to take the name of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), but hooliganism will not be tolerated under the guise of this. The way the stickers were forcibly pasted on the roads without permission is the same. It is illegal. Kret Soumya said that the police have provided all the video footage and other documents, but the police have not registered a case yet. The police have given me time till Tuesday. Now the police will take some action after consulting the law department. When Kret Soumya was asked whether anyone had gone to the police station and complained about the forced sticker application, he said that since I am the complainant, the police should take action against this hooliganism. After Kret Soumya’s demand, attempts have been made to spoil the situation in Kurla, due to which the atmosphere is tense.

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Maharashtra

The streets echoed with the slogans of Takbir Allahu Akbar and Rasool, the Muslim youth arrested in the ‘I Love Muhammad’ controversy should be released, demand the scholars.

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Mumbai: The historic 71-year-old Ghausia procession was taken out from Madanpura Hari Masjid in Mumbai with great respect and dignity. The Ghausia procession was led by scholars, while the devotees of Ghaus Azam participated in the procession carrying the flag of the Prophet. The streets of Mumbai echoed with slogans like Takbir Allah Akbar, we will not leave the fold of Ghaus. The police had made strict security arrangements after the violence in Bareilly. After the controversy over I Love Muhammad, there was a high alert in Mumbai as well.

The scholars were seen in old and antique cars in the Ghausia procession, while all the scholars and devotees of Ghaus Azam, including students of madrasas, were part of the procession. The procession passed through traditional highways from Madanpura to Ghausia and ended with prayers at Mastan Talab. Success lies in following the teachings of Ghaus-e-Azam Dastgir (may Allah be pleased with him), therefore, it is essential for Muslims to observe prayers and follow Sharia. This advice was given by Maulana Maqsood Ali Khan while narrating the biography of Ghaus-e-Pak before the Ghausiya procession today.

He said that the Ghausiya procession has completed 70 years. It is the need of the hour for Muslims to maintain unity and agreement among themselves. The message of humanity has been spread by Ghaus-e-Azam Dastgir (may Allah be pleased with him). On the controversy over Come Muhammad, Maulana Maqsood Ali Khan said that Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him) has spread the message of love. He came as a mercy for humanity, but today in this fascinating era, the market of hatred is hot. Politics is also going on in the name of Come Muhammad and attempts are being made to spoil the situation, which is completely wrong. Maulana Maqsood Ali Khan said that Ghaus-e-Azam Dastgir has countless discoveries and miracles and he has advised to acquire knowledge.

He has also traveled from Jilani to Baghdad to acquire knowledge, so education is of great importance in Islam. He said that the first letter of the name of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is M, that is why everyone loves Muhammad (peace be upon him). On the Bareilly violence, Maulana Maqsood Ali Khan said that the Muslim youth arrested on charges of violence should be conditionally released. Muslims had protested peacefully in love with the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). Along with this, Maulana Tauqeer Raza should also be released.

In all the monasteries, including Khwaja Gharib Nawaz (may Allah be pleased with him), there are more non-Muslim attendees than Muslims, and this is a manifestation of brotherhood and national unity. He said that opposing the name of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is absolutely not right. He (peace be upon him) loved even his enemies. A person who is devoted to him (peace be upon him) only spreads the message of love. Maulana Khalil-ur-Rehman said that the secret of success lies in following the teachings of Ghaus-e-Pak (may Allah have mercy on him).

Therefore, Muslims should hold firmly to the rope of Islam and follow the Holy Sharia. He said that in today’s fascinating era, sectarian forces are hatching conspiracies against Islam, along with which attempts are being made to commit atrocities on Muslims, but the grace of Ghaus-e-Pak will always remain with us Muslims. The government should immediately release the Muslim youth arrested in Bareilly and other cities of Uttar Pradesh and impose a ban on unnecessary arrests. Maulana Manan Raza Khan Manani Mian, Maulana Syed Kausar Rabbani, Alhaj Saeed Noori Raza Academy, Maulana Abdul Qadir Alvi, Maulana Farid-ul-Zaman, Maulana Khalil-ur-Rehman Noori, Maulana Ijaz Kashmiri, Maulana Amanullah Raza, Mufti Zubair Barkati, Hafiz Abdul Qadir, Qari Niaz Ahmed, Qari Nazim Ali Barkati, Qari Abdul Rehman Ziaei, Maulana Ibrahim Asi, Hafiz Shadab, Haji Barakat Ahmed Ashrafi and other scholars and intellectuals participated.

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