Delhi official accused of raping late friend's minor daughter held

New Delhi, August 21

The Delhi Government has suspended its senior official Premoday Khakha with immediate effect following his arrest by the Delhi Police today for allegedly raping a minor. An order to this effect was issued by Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier in the day directed the Chief Secretary to suspend Khakha (51), posted as Assistant Director in the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department.

Khakha, who had earlier served as OSD to then WCD Minister Kailash Gahlot, was arrested along with his 50-year-old wife Seema Rani after their questioning. The official has been booked for allegedly raping his friend’s minor daughter several times and impregnating her, the police had said on Sunday. The girl had been staying with the accused official and his family at their house since her father died on October 1, 2020.

DCP Sagar Singh Kalsi said the accused were residents of Shakti Enclave in Burari. “Seema is a housewife. The case was registered on August 13,” he said. Khakha allegedly raped the girl several times between November 2020 and January 2021, a police officer had earlier said, adding Seema “tried giving her medicine to terminate pregnancy”.