Doctor guilty of carrying out illegal abortions

A GYNAECOLOGIST was found guilty at the Old Bailey yesterday of carrying out two illegal abortions on the same woman in National Health Service hospitals.

The court was told that Ramanlal Aggrawal, 46, coached the woman how to trick medical staff into admitting her to hospitals where he was working as a locum registrar.

Christopher Mitchell, for the prosecution, said Aggrawal then carried out the abortions on Nighat Shaheen, 32.

Aggrawal was trapped when the woman's married lover, Nasir Khan, was murdered. Two days after the second operation the doctor called at the home of the lover possibly to collect a fee, the court was told.

When the doctor knocked the door was opened by a policeman.

Mr Mitchell said Aggrawal told the officer he had some 'business' with Mr Khan. The policeman told him Khan had been murdered.

The court heard that detectives investigating the murder questioned Aggrawal and it was as result of lies he told about his dealings with Mr Khan and Ms Shaheen that the illegal abortions came to light.

Aggrawal, of Wembley, north- west London, was found guilty of procuring illegal abortions in August and December 1986. He will be sentenced today.