Law to get tougher for HIV cheats

HYDERABAD: With scores of cases of women unknowingly getting married to HIV+ men coming to light, the state government plans to amend two sections of the Indian Penal Code to make punishment for the guilty more severe.
Several cases have come to the notice of the Andhra Pradesh Women’s Commission where the women were kept in the dark about their spouses’ HIV+ status.The truth came out only when the women themselves tested positive.Worse still, following their husband’s death, many were thrown out of their houses and their property grabbed by the in-laws.
The culprits have been let off lightly until now, as punishments under sections 269 and 270 of the IPC have not been deterrent enough. “To deter people from wilfully and unlawfully spreading the virus, the commission has proposed amendments to both the sections,� commission’s chairperson C Susheela Devi said. Under Section 269 IPC, the guilty are imprisoned for only six months or imposed a fine or both.
The proposed amendment to this extends the term of imprisonment to ten years and also a fine.
Section 270 IPC punishes the guilty with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both. This may be amended to imprisonment for life or for a term which may extend to ten years and also a fine.
The state government has sent the proposal to the National Aids Control Organisation for comments following which it will be made a bill and would be put before the Assembly, a health department official said. Once the bill is approved by the assembly, it will be forwarded to the Centre for ratification.