Delhi Minor Rape: DCW Chief Swati Maliwal On Dharna After She Was Stopped From Meeting Victim

Maliwal was stopped from meeting the girl who was sexually assaulted by a senior Delhi government official.

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal sat on a ‘dharna’ at a hospital where the minor rape victim has been admitted for treatment, according to ANI. Maliwal was stopped from meeting the girl who was sexually assaulted by a senior Delhi government official. Maliwal claimed that she had been stopped by the police from meeting the victim or her mother. She said when the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (Premoday Khakha) chairperson was allowed to meet the girl’s mother, then why was the DCW chief not being allowed. Maliwal said she wasn’t leaving until she met the victim. She said that the Delhi Police has resorted to hooliganism.

"Delhi Police is indulging in hooliganism. They are neither allowing me to meet the girl nor her mother. I can't understand what 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?”

She further told ANI, “I will not go until they allow me to meet the survivor. I want to know whether she is getting all possible help or not, whether she is getting proper treatment or not," the DCW chief said.

The deputy director in Delhi's Women and Child Development department, Premoday Khakha raped his deceased friend’s daughter for several months resulting in her pregnancy. On Monday he was arrested along with his wife, Seema Rani, for allegedly giving the girl pregnancy termination medication.

"In the case of sexual assault with a minor, we have arrested two persons. One of them is Premoday Khakha, 51 years old, is a Deputy Director in the Department of Women and Child Development of GNCT and the second accused is his wife, Seema Rani, 50 years old," DCP (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said.

The families knew each other for about 20 years as they went to a Christian mass commune. Khakha accommodated the girl and her family at his residence following her father's demise on October 1, 2020.

The Delhi government on Monday suspended the official accused of raping a minor victim. "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 order comes after the official was booked for allegedly raping the minor.