Maharashtra Govt Plans MCOCA Action Against Organised Female Foeticide, Sex Determination Networks
· Free Press Journal
Mumbai, October 7, 2026: The Maharashtra government plans to amend the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act to enable the use of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against organised networks involved in prenatal sex determination and female foeticide.
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Health Minister Prakash Abitkar said the proposed amendment would be introduced during the upcoming Winter Session of the state legislature. The move follows concerns over organised networks allegedly involving doctors, middlemen and others in illegal sex determination.
Task Force Targets Organised Networks
The decision was announced at the first meeting of a task force constituted to strengthen implementation of the PC&PNDT Act. Abitkar directed officials to target the entire chain involved in such offences rather than limiting action to individual offenders. He also called for greater use of decoy operations and trap cases to detect and dismantle such networks.
मुलींच्या जन्माचा हक्क हिरावून घेणाऱ्या प्रवृत्तींना कोणत्याही परिस्थितीत थारा दिला जाणार नाही. गर्भलिंगनिदान व स्त्रीभ्रूणहत्या रोखण्यासाठी PCPNDT कायद्याची अधिक कठोर अंमलबजावणी करण्याच्या दृष्टीने मंत्रालयात राज्यस्तरीय कृती दलाची पहिली बैठक घेतली. दोषींवर कठोर कारवाई, बोगस डॉक्टरांवर नियंत्रण, सोनोग्राफी मशीनच्या गैरवापराची तपासणी तसेच जिल्हास्तरावर जनजागृती आणि प्रशिक्षण अधिक प्रभावी करण्याचे निर्देश यावेळी दिले. कायद्यात आवश्यक सुधारणा करण्यासाठी आगामी हिवाळी अधिवेशनात सुधारणा विधेयक सादर करण्याच्या दिशेनेही कार्यवाही करण्यात येणार आहे. बैठकीस कृती दलाच्या अध्यक्ष आमदार डॉ. नीलम गोऱ्हे, आमदार मनीषा कायंदे, आमदार उमा खापरे, आमदार स्नेहा दुबे-पंडित आणि आरोग्य सेवा आयुक्त संजय काटकर उपस्थित होते. ‘बेटी बचाओ’ हा केवळ संदेश नाही, तर प्रत्येक मुलीच्या जन्माच्या अधिकाराचे संरक्षण करण्याची आपली सामूहिक जबाबदारी आहे. #PrakashAbitkar #PublicHealth #FamilyWelfare #GuardianMinisterofKolhapur #PCPNDTAct #SaveGirlChild #StopFemaleFoeticide
— Prakash Abitkar (@iprakashabitkar) October 6, 2026
The task force will conduct special inspections in districts selected on the basis of risk assessment and available intelligence. Palghar, Ahilyanagar and Pune have been identified for the first phase, after which the exercise will be extended to other suspected or sensitive districts in western and northern Maharashtra.
Scrutiny Of Sonography Centres
Teams will examine records maintained by sonography centres, machine usage, diagnostic details and other documents to identify violations. Action will be taken against centres and individuals found violating PC&PNDT provisions.
The government has also ordered stricter monitoring of portable sonography machines, amid concerns over their alleged misuse for illegal prenatal sex determination. Authorities will track their availability, use and records and develop a mechanism to prevent their misuse.
State Data Shows Scale Of Challenge
The scale of the challenge is reflected in state data, with 627 PC&PNDT cases registered between March 2024 and March 2026, resulting in 127 convictions.
In 2025-26, authorities conducted 118 decoy operations, of which 13 were successful, while nearly all of Maharashtra’s 11,837 registered sonography centres were inspected.
Meanwhile, the Health Department has directed officials to compile district-wise lists of bogus doctors and initiate steps to make the information public. Local administrations and health officials have also been asked to conduct joint action against unauthorised medical practitioners.
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