A senior official in the Delhi government’s Women and Child Development department, who is accused of raping his friend’s minor daughter repeatedly for months, has been suspended and arrested.

The action came after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asked Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to suspend the officer. The CM has also sought a report in the case from Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar latest by 5 pm today. The accused, Premoday Khakha and his wife were detained by the Delhi Police earlier before arrest.

#WATCH | The now-suspended rape-accused Delhi government official and his wife have been detained by Police.The official has been booked for allegedly raping his deceased friend’s minor daughter for several months. pic.twitter.com/WN7YSqEi5E — ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2023

Delhi Minister Atishi said it is a shocking case as the accused was working in the Department of Women & Child Development. “Delhi Police must take strict action, the accused never worked as my OSD,” she added.

#BreakingNews |Delhi govt reacts to minor rape case; Minister #AtishiMarlena says “it is a shocking case as the accused was working in the Department of Women & Child Development, Delhi Police must take strict action; the accused never worked as my OSD”@_anshuls | @ridhimb pic.twitter.com/YjD76QZvhl— News18 (@CNNnews18) August 21, 2023

On the other hand, Delhi Commission for Women chairperson, Swati Maliwal- alleged that she was not allowed to meet the minor victim at the hospital. “For half an hour the hospital administration is preventing me from meeting the minor victim. The guards are saying that the police have forbidden it. What is going on? First of all, you are not arresting the accused and on top of that you are preventing me from meeting the girl. What does Delhi Police want to hide?” she said.

आधे घंटे से अस्पताल का प्रशासन मुझे नाबालिग पीड़िता से मिलने से रोक रहे हैं। गार्ड कह रहे हैं पुलिस ने मना किया है। ये चल क्या रहा है ? पहले तो आरोपी को गिरफ़्तार नहीं कर रहे ऊपर से मुझे लड़की से मिलने से रोक रहे हैं ? क्या छुपाना चाहती है दिल्ली पुलिस ? pic.twitter.com/tZItxZy8Cr— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) August 21, 2023

Maliwal earlier said the panel has issued a notice to the Delhi Police asking why the accused has not been arrested yet.

“A government officer who was sitting on the post of Deputy Director in the Women and Child Development Department for so long has been accused of raping a 16-year-old minor girl and when she got pregnant, he and his wife tried to abort the pregnancy. We have issued notice to Delhi Police, why is he not arrested yet, we are also issuing a notice to Delhi govt because we want to know what are the complaints against him and what actions have been taken against him,” she said.

#WATCH | “A government officer who was sitting on the post of Deputy Director in the Women and Child Development Department for so long, has been accused of raping a 16-year-old minor girl and when she got pregnant, he and his wife tried to abort the pregnancy. We have issued… pic.twitter.com/3KbgNWICeF— ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2023

An FIR against the senior official has been registered under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the POCSO Act.

News18 has learnt that the officer was a family friend of the minor, said to be between 17 years of age and a student of Class 12. After her father passed away in 2020, the accused brought her to his home. The victim lived in the accused’s house from October 2020 to February 2021 during which, she was sexually harassed and physically molested and repeatedly raped by her uncle.

According to shocking details that emerged in the case earlier today, when the minor became pregnant after months of abuse, she was forced to terminate her pregnancy by the wife of the accused.

‘Procedural Lapse’

NCPCR chief Priyank Kanoongo on Monday highlighted a “procedural lapse” in this matter. “If a child’s father or mother died in the period starting April 2020 or the child became an orphan and they need guardianship, then as per the Supreme Court order all their details have to be registered on NCPCR’s Baalswaraj Portal. Delhi Government had said that it has registered the details of all such children. But we have not found her details so far, ” Kanoongo said.

The official further mentioned they have asked the officers of the Delhi government, the name of the child and entry for her in Baalswaraj Portal.

“The role of the Church seems suspicious too. The child is yet to give a statement before Child Welfare Committee. We are trying to contact the chief of the Committee since morning but she is not receiving the call. We are monitoring this matter and after collecting this information, we will direct the Delhi Govt to take appropriate action. We are also sending a team to the hospital where the girl is admitted,” he added.

BJP Slams Delhi Govt For Not Taking Action Against Accused

BJP leader Bansuri Swaraj asked when the FIR was registered against the accused on August 13 why the Delhi government did not take action against him sooner. She said DCW chief Swati Maliwal is doing politics over it.

Mahila Congress President Netta D’Souza said it is unfortunate that such a person is in the Woman and Child Development ministry that speaks volumes about sensitivity towards the cause of women and child development. “If he’s involved in such a grievous crime, such a person should be terminated and imprisoned. The police must take immediate action. We request the Delhi CM (Arvind Kejriwal) to ensure that the strictest of actions should be taken against such officers,” she said.