Don't cause stress...: Delhi rape survivor's mother seeks privacy in letter

The mother of the Delhi minor rape survivor, in a letter, has said the family does not want to meet any official regarding the incident. She said that since her daughter had already registered her statement before the magistrate, they did not want to be questioned further and requested privacy.

Meanwhile, 51-year-old Premoday Khakha, accused of raping the minor girl several times between November 2020 and January 2021, was arrested along with his wife on Monday.

Khakha's wife also allegedly gave the girl abortion pills to terminate her pregnancy.

The accused and his wife Seema Rani are residents of Shakti Enclave in Burari area, Deputy Commissioner of Police (north) Sagar Singh Kalsi told news agency PTI.

"Seema is a housewife, while Khakha is the deputy director in the Woman and Child Development department of the Delhi government. The case was registered on August 13," Kalsi said.

The girl was staying with the accused and his family at their house after her father passed away on October 1, 2020.

RAPE-ACCUSED OFFICER, WIFE SEEN ESCAPING ARREST

Moments before the police arrived to arrest the senior official accused of rape, he was seen attempting to escape with his family.

In CCTV footage, captured at nearly 9:35 am on Monday, the accused was seen sitting in a car wearing a blue shirt as he attempted to escape. The footage was later recovered by officials of the Delhi Police.

KEJRIWAL ORDERS SUSPENSION OF OFFICER

Acting tough upon the incident, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday ordered the suspension of Khakha. The chief minister also sought a report from Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar on the matter, officials said.

Kejriwal, while talking to reporters at the sideline of an event, had also appealed to the Delhi Police to immediately arrest the accused officer.

"I have ordered the chief secretary to suspend the officer till an inquiry is pending. I have also sought a report from the chief secretary by the evening," Kejriwal said.

SWATI MALIWAL ON DHARNA

On Monday, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal sat on a dharna at a hospital, claiming that she was prevented from meeting the minor rape survivor.

"The director of the hospital came to meet the DCW chief and informed her that the DCP (deputy commissioner of police) and ACP (assistant commissioner of police) of the Delhi Police are inside the hospital and had asked them to not allow her to meet the victim," the women's panel told PTI in a statement.

The commission also sent a notice to the Delhi Police and the city government's women and child development and services departments, seeking action in the matter.

Maliwal said it was "shocking" that the Delhi police did not arrest the accused even eight days after the registration of the FIR.

"I was not even allowed to meet the survivor at the behest of the Delhi Police. I will meet the survivor and provide all possible support," she said.

The women's panel has also asked the Delhi Police to provide a copy of the FIR along with the details of the arrests. It has also sought the details of action taken by the city government against the officer.

The commission further sought details of complaints made against the officer in the past and action taken in that connection. The Delhi Police and the city government have been directed to provide their reports by Wednesday.

The girl was staying with the accused, a family friend whom she calls 'mama', at his home after her father passed away in October 2020.

When the minor allegedly became pregnant, she informed the wife of the accused, who later asked her son to get medicines for pregnancy termination and gave those to the girl.

The girl returned home with her mother in January 2021 when she came to meet her.

She had an anxiety attack in August and her mother admitted her to a hospital, where the girl, now a student of Class 12, narrated the whole incident during the counselling session.