Delhi Women and Child Department official accused of rape is arrested, suspended

Senior Delhi government official and his wife arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting and molesting a minor girl, forcing her to terminate pregnancy

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. The Chief Secretary also said that Mr. Khakha is not permitted to leave the WCD headquarters without permission while his suspension is in force. 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 issue by Monday evening.

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.

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 and informed the concerned department but the government took seven days to order his suspension,” Delhi BJP secretary Bansuri Swaraj said.