Two complaints of sexual harassment against rape-accused Delhi government official Premoday Khakha are pending before the Delhi High Court and documents pertaining to two more complaints with the Women and Child Development Department have surfaced, revealing shocking details.
The complaints and the reports of prior complaints point towards what could have been a possible cover-up by the Delhi government of Khakha’s long history of sexually predatory behavior. OpIndia has accessed letters from the Delhi HC to the department, that shed light on how the AAP government shunned accountability in the matter despite reminders seeking an explanation.
Victims narrate the harrowing ordeal
Khakha, the suspended assistant director of the Delhi government’s WCD arrested for allegedly raping a minor repeatedly, was also accused by four women of sexual harassment between 2018 and 2022. Two of these complaints are now cases pending before the Delhi HC. As per reports, the four victims were working at a mental health unit in the Sewa Kutir complex in Kingsway Camp and were employed by a non-governmental organisation (NGO). Two of the complainants were working as counselors, one complaint was filed by a clinical psychologist, and one complaint was anonymous: all four victims were working on a contractual basis.
Khakha was posted at the same unit as superintendent and was reportedly heading the litigation wing of the department at the time, much to the detriment of the victims. The first complainant said that between 1st December 2018 and 7th April 2019, Khakha allegedly misbehaved with her many times, passing lewd remarks. “He (Khakha) often used to pass comments on my figure and clothes before others like ‘apna figure itna maintain kaise rakhti ho’ (how do you maintain your figure) and ‘kya doosre ka kapda pahankar aati ho ki kuchh pata nahin chalta (do you wear others’ clothes that your figure can’t be noticed).”
Speaking to HT reportedly over the phone, she said that Khakha persuaded her time and again to have sex with him. “He is not a tolerable boss. Once he even tried to pull me on to his lap in front of my colleagues. When things became completely unbearable for me, I resigned and filed a complaint against him.” She further said that Khakha also threatened her with “dire consequences when he came to know about the complaints.” “But I will not stop till I get justice,” the victim said.
The second and third victims reportedly said that the rape accused was a terror in the remand homes and Sewa Kutir. The second complainant said that the suspended Delhi government official used “filthy language” when referring to juveniles under his care and the counselors. “It was routine for him to grab women by their hand or push them; he used to publicly call us playthings.”
Moreover, he also reportedly tried to drug the complainant. “One evening, around closing time, he asked me to have some cola-like drink. Since I could not refuse my boss, I drank it. After five minutes, I started feeling dizzy. I tried to escape from his chamber in Sewa Kutir. He rushed at me and started touching me all over. I somehow managed to escape. From then, till I resigned I never went to him alone,” she told HT.
The third victim said that Khakha used to woo women with flowers and chocolates. “And whenever he used to find some woman alone, his opening line was the same ‘mujhse kya darna, maine to nasbandi kara liya hai (Not to afraid, I am already vasectomised).” Quoting senior official sources in the WCD, the report confirms the existence of the complaints.
How the WCD relinquished responsibility
In two of the complaints, the internal committee (IC) of the WCD, which comprises four members and a presiding officer of the department, concluded that the harassment could not be proved. “The IC observed that the allegation against the respondent has not been proved, it is the recommendation of the IC that no action is required to be taken in this matter,” it reportedly said in a note. Following the same, both complainants challenged the report in the Delhi High Court.
According to the official, the third complainant approached the HC directly in June 2021 and she was asked to “approach the appropriate authority”. It isn’t known if she approached the IC after that. “In the complaint by the anonymous victim, the vigilance wing of the department noted that it should not be considered due to lack of merit,” the official said.
The Delhi government actively ignored HC’s calls for an explanation
Documentary evidence shows that the complaints made to the WCD department were ignored. OpIndia has accessed a letter dated 23rd February 2019 from Delhi High Court to the Delhi WCD which mentions that despite having sought answers the department did not respond. In this letter, the Joint Registrar of the Delhi High Court wrote to the Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Government of Delhi, that despite sending a letter on 5th July 2019 and reminding again on 10th January 2019, no reply was given. The complaint was filed by Anil Kumar Kalia, President of Child Survivor India.
It was informed in the same letter that in the meantime, a complaint was made to the Juvenile Justice Secretariat by the clinical psychologist, the complainant posted at Kingsway Camp, Sewa Kutir Complex. The Juvenile Justice Committee had sought a reply from the department after this complaint. It was also asked to reply within 10 days. A copy of this letter was also sent to Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
Moreover, a complaint was also lodged over official and financial irregularities for the year 2019-19 in ‘Boys-II, Sewa Kutir, Kingsway Camp’. Welfare Officer Brijkishore Pandey had lodged the said complaint and the Joint Registrar of Delhi High Court had sought a response from the department. A letter in this regard was sent on 13th May 2019, followed by a reminder letter on 26th July 2019. The third letter was sent on 27th August 2019, which is attached below:
Another letter was sent on 7th March 2019. It says that the complaint has been closed due to no response from the complainant Anil Kumar Kalia. At the same time, it has also been told that the complaint by the clinical psychologist was in relation to the violation of the rights of the children in the ‘Observation Home’. Along with this, Kalia had also filed a complaint of harassment at the workplace against Premoday Khakha. The same letter mentions that some anonymous complaints had also been submitted to the Vigilance Department.
The letter says that Premoday Khakha harassed women at the workplace. It also mentioned the names of some of the victims. Even more serious is the letter sent by the Joint Registrar of the Delhi High Court on 5th March 2019, which talks about the allegation of sexual abuse of children in the Boys’ Home. These complaints had come to the Juvenile Justice Committee regarding sexual abuse of children in ‘Seva Kutir’. The Committee recognized that the matter required urgent attention.
The Juvenile Justice Committee had asked the DWCD to take action in this regard within a day and transfer the then Superintendent till the completion of the investigation. Along with this, it was also directed that he should not be transferred to any children’s home. It was also directed that he should not be transferred to such a place from where he could influence the investigation. Along with this, by 6th March 2019, the department was also asked to submit an action-taken report.
Similarly, in a letter dated 16th May 2019, the WCD department was also asked to re-open the inquiry against Premoday Khakha. This letter was also sent by the Juvenile Justice Secretariat of the Delhi High Court. Also, the report of the investigation conducted so far was sought. This shows that despite repeated letters, the department was not serious about the matter. It also shows the dangerous influence enjoyed by Premoday Khakha. Despite such serious complaints and FIRs, Khakha reportedly hoisted the flag at ‘Seva Kutir’ in Mukherjee Nagar on Independence Day (August 15) in 2019.
What’s more, is that this tainted officer was made the Officer on Special Duty (OST) when Kailash Gahlot headed the WCD department. It has been alleged that senior officers in line for the post were ignored and Khakha was made deputy director out of turn.
The latest case: Repeated sexual exploitation of a minor girl under his care
On Monday (21st August), the Delhi Police arrested the Delhi government official Premoday Khakha who has been accused of raping a minor over several months. The senior government official was earlier booked under POCSO Act for allegedly raping his deceased friend’s minor daughter for several months, resulting in her pregnancy. The accused is a Deputy Director of the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department of the Delhi government. Subsequently, he has been suspended from his office.
Khakha and his wife have been remanded to 14-day judicial custody by the special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) judge of Tis Hazari Court. According to the police, following the death of her father, who was also a Delhi government employee, the minor girl lived with the accused in Burari from October 2020 to February 2021.
The 17-year-old minor girl complained against Khakha and his wife Seema Rani that the two assaulted her for three months during her stay at their place between October 2020 and April 2021. The victim girl said that Khakha who served as deputy director in Delhi’s women and child department (WCD) raped her multiple times and his wife forced her to have abortion pills.
Notably, the accused is a Christian and shared ties with the family of the victim girl that established and developed in a church in north Delhi’s Burari region that both families used to visit.
