Man behind bars for hiding HIV-positive status from spouse

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Man behind bars for hiding HIV-positive status from spouse

SURAT: In the first case of its kind in the state, a man got

arrested on Monday for concealing his HIV-positive status from his

wife, who filed a complaint at a police station here on Saturday

night.

Lata Kantharia, in her mid-twenties, walked into Rander police

station to register a complaint against her husband.

Lata's complaint was that her husband had not disclosed his HIV+ve

status to her before marriage.

The police arrested Lata's husband and his sister under IPC sections

269 and 270 which classifies the offence as 'Negligent act likely to

spread infection of disease dangerous to life'.

" The husband is in possession of reports that proves that he was HIV-

positive before he married Lata.

It is on this basis that we have arrested both of them, " says Rander

inspector RS Patel.

Lata married her husband in May 2002 after he divorced his first

wife.

However, it was when Lata was eight months pregnant in October 2003

that the gynaecologist revealed that she was HIV-positive during a

routine check-up.

Her kid, who is two years old now, is feared to have contracted the

virus. Lata's problem did not end here.

According to her complaint, she was asked to leave the house.

It was then that she approached an NGO, Garima, for help.

Human rights and social justice department deputy inspector general

Meera Varma says in cases where the wife alleges that she contracted

the virus through her husband, the burden of proof lies on the

husband.

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