On Monday (21 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.
Following the arrest, BJP’s Delhi secretary Bansuri Swaraj launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party claiming that it is favouring the rape-accused officer Premoday Khakha. Swaraj alleged that the accused officer Khakha had been assigned as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the then Delhi women and child development minister.
She raised these allegations while addressing a press conference in connection with this issue. During the press conference, Swaraj presented some documents, on the basis of which, she claimed that the accused was hand-picked as Minister’s OSD and is close to the party.
Swaraj said, “There is a word used here — desired — which means the accused was handpicked by the Aam Aadmi Party and is close to the AAP government. He was chosen as the OSD to the Minister.”
VIDEO | "When FIR was filed on August 13, why so much time was taken to suspend the official, and why minister Atishi is silent on the issue," says Delhi BJP leader @BansuriSwaraj on an alleged rape of a minor by Delhi government official. pic.twitter.com/gN8BygTmU3
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 21, 2023
Basuri Swaraj targets the AAP for not acting tough in matters of crime against Women and girl child
While speaking with media persons, Swaraj highlighted the case details and claimed that the BJP strongly condemns the heinous crime.
She said, “The Deputy Director of the Delhi government’s Women and Child Development (WCD) Department repeatedly raped a minor girl. The worst thing is the girl lost her father in 2020 and the official took her in as a guardian. He raped her when she was merely 14 years old. What is even more shocking is that during this time, the minor girl was impregnated and the officer’s wife gave her pills for abortion. Yet, the minor was raped even after the incident. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly condemns this incident.”
She also questioned the AAP government for not acting tough against the accused officer and his delayed suspension.
Going ahead, she cornered the incumbent AAP Minister of the WCD department Atishi Marlena for being silent on the issue. Swaraj further questioned DCW chief Swati Maliwal for obstructing the investigation and justice for the minor.
She said, “Swati Maliwal ji is responsible for ensuring justice for the minor, why is she sitting on a protest and obstructing the investigation.”
She added, “This is not a political matter. This is a matter that is shameful for the whole society. Bharatiya Janata Party is with the minor and her family in this difficult time.”
BJP targets the AAP government for appointing the accused as OSD to their Minister
In addition to Basuri Swaraj, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva shared the pictures of the purported documents which claim that Khakha was assigned as an OSD to the then WCD Minister. Taking to X, the BJP leader stated that Delhi demands answers from CM Arvind Kejriwal on why his government assigned the officer who raped a minor as OSD to their Minister. He further claimed that Khaka was assigned to the then WCD Minister Kailash Gehlot.
The officer charged with raping a minor was Kejriwal Govt's favourite.
— Virendraa Sachdeva (@Virend_Sachdeva) August 21, 2023
Had been handpicked to serve as OSD to the Minister of WCD.@SwatiJaiHind will do well to stop her drama and @ArvindKejriwal should answer why was the rapist officer handpicked to serve as his Ministers OSD.… pic.twitter.com/plKEPunAQO
After the document was uploaded in public domain, several social media users started raising questions and demanded that the AAP government come out clean on the allegations. They highlighted how an official who was “desired” and handpicked by an AAP minister end up committing atrocities against a minor without anyone noticing it.
Hey @AtishiAAP why are you lying? Isn’t that your definition of “Kattar Imandar”
— Curly Jeevi (@curlykrazy07) August 21, 2023
Clearly the accused has worked for you as per this 👇 pic.twitter.com/omKXkIw070
While some social media handles claimed that accused Khakha was OSD during the tenure of Kailash Gehlot, others claimed that he served as OSD under Rajendra Pal Gautam. As per media reports and the purported documents accessed by Times Now, the accused Khakha was an OSD to the then-AAP Minister of the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department.
They should further clarify if he was OSD to Rajendra Pal Gautam or not. Because the letter in circulation (below) of his appointment is dated Mar 2022 when Rajendra Pal Gautam was the WCD minister, not Atishi. pic.twitter.com/FyMOvgAf6q
— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) August 21, 2023
Nevertheless, netizens slammed the AAP, emphasising that they could not wish away the fact that Premoday was employed by their government in Delhi and had served as OSD to the WCD Department.
Click here, to know the full extent of the crime Khakha allegedly committed over the years. He was connected to the victim through the church. Replying on this case, NCPCR Chief Priyank Kanoongo informed, “The role of the Church, in this case, is suspicious.”
Further, Khakha accused of raping a minor girl for several months has reportedly been OSD to AAP Minister since March 2022. It must be mentioned that controversial AAP leader Rajendra Pal Gautam was the WCD Minister at that time. Previously, he served as assistant director, Litigation and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), in the Women and Child Development department.
He additionally held the position of superintendent or person-in-charge at the Juvenile Justice Board I & III and Observation Home for Boys II in Delhi. He also served as an assistant director in the Department of Women & Child Development. According to reports, his responsibilities included overseeing the implementation of the Integrated Child Protection Scheme in Delhi and acting as the head of the office for Delhi’s Juvenile Justice Board.
