Doctor Used Electric Shocks To 'Treat' Homosexuals, Termed It 'Mental Disorder'

A doctor accused of using electric shock to “treat” gay and lesbians by terming homosexuality as a "genetic mental disorder" was summoned by a court in New Delhi on Saturday.

P.K. Gupta, the doctor, continued the bizarre practice despite being penalized by the Delhi Medical Council. Girish Tyagi, registrar and secretary of DMC, approached the court with a complaint stating that Gupta was using "hormonal and shock therapy" to provide treatment.

The complaint stated the doctor was debarred from practicing in 2016, but continued to do so against official orders and hence, he was liable for prosecution.

In 2015, DMC received a letter from Anajali Gopalan, executive director of the non-governmental organization Naz Foundation, informing them about a doctor claiming to convert homosexuals to heterosexuals.

“In the said article, it was mentioned that Dr. Gupta described homosexuality as a mental disorder and believed in exploring evidence of childhood psychological damage before starting treatment,” the court record stated, local daily Indian Express reported.

He was reportedly charging 4,500 INR ($63) for 15 minutes counseling, after which he would decide to go for "hormonal therapy or psychological therapy."

Metropolitan magistrate Abhilash Malhotra said the “treatment” given by Gupta as part of the "gay therapy" was not recognized either by medical science or by the legislature.

“It is amply clear that the legislature in its prudence and vision did not think sexual orientation to be part of mental illness. Accordingly, it is clear that the treatment given by doctors as a part of ‘conversion therapy’ is not recognized either by the medicine or by the legislation,” the magistrate said, Outlook India reported.

In September, India struck down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and decriminalized consensual sex between homosexuals.

“Section 377 results in discrimination and is violative of constitutional principles. Consensual sex between adults in private is not an offense. The court must try to protect the dignity of every individual of the society, including people from LGBT community. Sexual orientation is natural and people have no control on it,” the court said.

It also stated the “momentous walk of freedom” can only be realized when people acknowledge that the LGBT community have the same rights as them.

Section 377 of the IPC states “Whoever voluntarily has carnal inter¬course against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.”

During the verdict, the court said, "Human tendency to love among LGBT community members had been caged by a 158-year-old law, Sec 377. Though 87 years after the law was born India got independence, Legislature did not take measures to give LGBT community the equal rights for sexual relation.”