The Bombay High Court has directed the city-based J J Hospital to form a medical board and assess whether a 24-week pregnant minor victim of sexual assault can undergo medical termination of the pregnancy without any health risks. Justice S J Kathawalla passed the direction on Friday after the minor told the court that she was in mental trauma and that she wished to terminate her pregnancy in order to be able to concentrate on her studies.

The court was hearing a petition filed by the minor's mother, seeking that the girl be permitted to terminate the pregnancy since it was the result of a sexual assault that she had endured last year. The mother also told the high court that the police had already filed a case of sexual assault against the minor's perpetrator. As per the plea, the girl, who is 17 years of age currently, had run away from her parents' home in the city in November last year. She returned in January 2020 and in May
this year, following an episode of stomach ache, she realised that she was pregnant.