- Dr. Jumana Nagarwala and Dr. Fakhruddin Attar were arrested in 2017 for performing female genital mutilation on minor girls in Michigan.
- The defendants claimed the procedure was a religious rite of passage, not harmful cutting.
- In 2018, a federal judge dismissed key charges, ruling that regulating FGM is up to states, not Congress.
- The case is still ongoing, with Dr. Nagarwala facing other charges and the defense challenging the law’s constitutionality.
In April 2017, two Michigan doctors, Dr. Jumana Nagarwala and Dr. Fakhruddin Attar, along with Dr. Attar’s wife Farida, were arrested and charged with performing female genital mutilation (FGM) on minor girls. This case made headlines as it was the first federal case involving FGM filed in the United States.
Wiki and Bio Details
| Name | Jumana Nagarwala, M.D. | Fakhruddin Attar, M.D. |
| Age | 44 (at time of arrest) | 53 (at time of arrest) |
| Occupation | Emergency room physician | Obstetrician-gynecologist |
| Charges | Female genital mutilation, transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, conspiracy, making a false statement to a federal officer | Conspiring to perform female genital mutilations |
| Current Status | Faces conspiracy to travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and obstruction charges | Charges dismissed in 2018, clinic used for FGM procedures |
The Shocking Allegations
According to the criminal complaint, Dr. Nagarwala, an emergency room physician, was accused of mutilating the genitals of two 7-year-old girls from Minnesota. The girls later told investigators that their mothers said they were going to Detroit for “a special girls’ trip”.
Dr. Fakhruddin Attar and his wife Farida were charged with conspiring with Dr. Nagarwala to perform FGM on minor girls out of Dr. Attar’s medical clinic in Livonia, Michigan. The complaint alleges that some of the minor victims traveled interstate to have the procedure performed.
The Defendants’ Defense
The defendants belong to a “religious and cultural community” that investigators allege practices female genital mutilation. Dr. Nagarwala’s defense attorney argued that the procedure did not involve cutting and was religious in nature, practiced by the Dawoodi Bohra, an Islamic sect based in India.
The defense claimed that Dr. Nagarwala never harmed any child, but rather performed a benign procedure that involved only “scraping” – not cutting – of girls’ genitalia. They argued that this was a religious rite of passage that involves only a minor “nick”.
The Legal Aftermath
In 2018, the federal FGM law was declared unconstitutional by a federal judge, who dismissed mutilation and conspiracy charges against Dr. Nagarwala, Dr. Attar, and others involved in the case. The judge ruled that it’s up to states rather than Congress to regulate the practice.
As of 2021, Dr. Nagarwala still faces conspiracy to travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and obstruction charges. The case has been ongoing, with the defense hoping the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court will agree that the 1996 federal law was unconstitutional.
FAQs
Q. What is female genital mutilation (FGM)?
A. FGM involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It is a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
Q. Is FGM illegal in the United States?
A. In 1996, Congress passed a law criminalizing FGM on girls under 18. However, in 2018, a federal judge ruled this law unconstitutional. Currently, 40 states have their own laws criminalizing FGM.
Q. What is the Dawoodi Bohra community?
A. The Dawoodi Bohra are a sect of Shia Islam based in India. They believe female circumcision is a religious obligation and cultural tradition.
Last Updated on July 29, 2024 by 247 News Around The World
