Chandigarh: Men who exploited HIV+ women held

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Men who exploited HIV+ women held

By Vikash Kahol in Chandigarh

Chandigarh duo had ‘sex with patients’ in return for medicines

FINALLY, the Chandigarh police have arrested two persons for “ sexually abusing”

HIV- positive women.

The police arrested — a senior technician at the country’s premier Post-

Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research ( PGIMER), Chandigarh — and

Nek Ram, a former counsellor with the Chandigarh AIDS Control Society.

The police have registered a case of rape against the accused.

They have been remanded in judicial custody.

The arrest of the accused on Friday came over one- and- a- half years after MAIL

TODAY exposed the abuse of HIV- positive women. The police investigation began

after the MAIL TODAY expose on December 15, 2007 revealing the prolonged

exploitation of patients who depended on the accused for drugs and other medical

help.

Beyond sexual favours, these victims were even pushed into prostitution by the

accused.

Taking congnisance of the report, Chandigarh IGP Shanti Kumar had ordered the

probe.

The National Human Rights Commission had also been monitoring the case.

The investigation revealed that and Nek Ram had sought sexual favours on

the pretext of giving the women expensive medicines free of cost.

The duo had apparently convinced one of the victims, who later spilled the beans

to M AIL T ODAY , into providing sexual favours during a test ( CD4) conducted

to track the progression of the virus in the body.

The accused repeatedly visited her house at Mauli Jagran — a slum near

Chandigarh. The accused knew the woman was HIV- positive and they used condoms

to protect themselves.

DSP Kulwant Singh Pannu, who has been supervising the investigation, said it was

a difficult case to crack. “ The victims were not ready to lodge formal

complaints, since the majority of them were from very poor families.

One of the victims, however, decided to avenge the exploitation leading to the

arrest of the accused. We are carrying out further investigation,” Pannu added.

These women had suffered a traumatic experience at PGIMER when they went there

for counselling and getting antiretroviral treatment ( ARV).

The PGIMER held an internal inquiry, but gave a clean chit to the accused on the

pretext of insufficient evidence. At one stage, the record was allegedly

manipulated to prove that the “ victims” did not undergo treatment at the

institute.

But several victims laid bare a network of sex predators preying on HIV patients

who are stigmatised and are often too poor to afford treatment.

Anu, a 30- year- old, had lost her husband about four years ago. A mother of two

had revealed that she went to PGIMER in Chandigarh twice a year for tests and

found the attitude of some health service providers there “ unpleasant”. “ One

of the attendants asked me to sleep with him in lieu of quick processing of

reports. I resisted but, finally, I had to give in since I required medicines,”

she said. The next time, he asked her to arrange some “ young girl”. PGIMER

director Dr K. K. Talwar said he had issued instructions for stipulated

departmental action against the staff arrested by the police. “ We are duty-

bound to set things rights at the institute,” he said.

The authorities at Chandigarh AIDS Control Society were not available for

comments.

Avnish Jolly, an HIV/ AIDS activist, said the arrest of two healthcare providers

for “ exploiting” HIV- positive women has vindicated the M AIL T ODAY

investigation. “ But, this is the tip of the iceberg. The police should go deep

into it with honesty.” Pinki H. Maddan, president of the Butterfly Nature Club

of India, an NGO working for the rights of people living with HIV, said action

against the unscrupulous elements had revived public faith in the system of

justice. “ The rot must be cleansed,” she said.

The majority of these women were abandoned by their families.

Others are fighting emotional, social and economic problems.

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