Delhi minor rape case: Accused to be produced in court today, DCW chief Maliwal stages sit-in

The senior government official accused of raping a 16-year-old minor girl will be produced before court on Tuesday. Premoday Khaka, along with his wife Seema Rani was arrested by Delhi police on Monday.

Meanwhile, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal has launched a dharna at the hospital in North Delhi, where the victim is admitted. Maliwal alleged that she was not allowed to meet the victim at the hospital.

She lashed out at the police for indulging in hooliganism.

“Delhi Police is indulging in hooliganism. They are neither allowing me to meet the girl nor her mother. I can't understand what do the Delhi Police want to hide from me. I am being told that the NCPCR chairperson was allowed to meet the girl's mother. When the NCPCR chairperson can meet the mother, why is the DCW chief not being allowed for the same?…" Maliwal told ANI.

Taking it to X, Maliwal said that she has been sitting outside the hospital from Monday noon.

"Since 12 noon yesterday, I am sitting outside the hospital to meet the victim girl or her family. Slept outside the hospital at night. The NCPCR can be introduced to the girl's mother, so why have I been asked to stop? What are you trying to hide?" she said.

The arrest was made after an FIR was registered against the accused. The Delhi government has suspended the official after CM Arvind Kejriwal intervened.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-rule (1) of Rule 10 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965, Premoday Khakha, Assistant Director is hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect," an official order issued by Delhi government read.

The girl’s parents were Delhi government employees and was friends with the suspect and his family. Her father passed away in 2020 following which the accused had extended support to the family by offering to take her to his home inorder to recover from the trauma.

DCP (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said that the girl stayed with the accused for the nearly five months.

Officials said that the girl was allegedly raped several times at his residence between October 2020 and February 2021.

In between, the girl found out that she was pregnant and told his wife. Reportedly, she was asked not to reveal the incident and was later given abortion pills to terminate the pregnancy.

The incident was brought to light when the girl opened up to the counseller at a hospital, where she was admitted, after suffering from anxiety attack. She was admitted to a hospital in North Delhi.