The Delhi Police on Monday arrested Premoday Khakha, 51, a senior official in the Delhi Government’s Women and Child Department, and his wife Seema Rani, 52, for allegedly sexually assaulting and molesting a minor girl for several months two years ago, and forcing her to terminate her pregnancy with abortion pills, officers said. The couple were arrested after being questioned for several hours on Monday.
The statement of the victim was also recorded before a magistrate under CrPC Section 164, a senior police officer said.
Mr. Khakha was suspended from his post of Assistant Director in the department by Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar on the orders of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Disciplinary proceedings are also being contemplated against the official, Mr. Kumar said in the order.
The Chief Minister had also sought a report from the Chief Secretary on the matter by 5 p.m. on Monday. According to a source at the Chief Minister’s Office, this had not been done.
A case was lodged at the Burari Police Station on August 13 against the couple, in which the couple was booked under the IPC Sections pertaining to rape, criminal intimidation, insulting a woman’s modesty, causing hurt, causing miscarriage without consent, criminal conspiracy, and common intention, along with the relevant Sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
“She [the victim] has named the two accused in her statement to the magistrate,” a senior police officer said on Monday, sharing details of the probe.
The minor is under observation due to trauma, the officer said, adding that several counselling sessions are underway with her.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched attacks at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), alleging it was “protecting” the accused official.
“The police filed an FIR (First Information Report) on August 13 but the government took seven days to order his suspension,” Delhi BJP secretary Bansuri Swaraj said.
Mr. Khakha, according to a letter dated March 29, 2022, had been appointed as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the then WCD Minister Kailash Gahlot. He was later relieved from his duties as OSD to the Minister and sent back to the department on March 10, 2023, after Cabinet Minister Atishi was given the WCD portfolio.
Ms. Swaraj alleged that the accused official was “handpicked” by Mr. Gahlot. “He was being protected by Mr. Gahlot till today,” Ms. Swaraj said.
Delhi BJP media head Praveen Shankar Kapoor and spokesperson Shikha Rai demanded Mr. Gahlot’s resignation from the Cabinet.
“BJP must answer why the Delhi Police did not arrest the accused immediately after the FIR,” the AAP said, hitting back at the BJP.
“Under whose pressure did the police shield the official? We demand a detailed inquiry into these major procedural lacunae,” an AAP spokesperson said.
“The Delhi Government, on becoming aware of the matter, immediately issued a suspension order against the accused officer,” he added.
Mr. Khakha and Ms. Khaka were allegedly involved in sexually assaulting and molesting Mr. Khakha’s deceased friend’s minor daughter for several months at their residence in Burari, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (north) Sagar Singh Kalsi. He added that they forced her to terminate her pregnancy by taking abortion pills.
The minor began staying at Mr. Khakha’s house after her father passed away in October 2020. He offered to be her guardian and informed her mother he would take care of her, Mr. Kalsi had said.
According to the DCP, the victim, then 15, said she was sexually assaulted and molested over four months, from October 2020 to February 2021, while she was staying at the official’s home in Burari.
