DCW chief ends dharna, says not allowed to meet rape victim

Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Tuesday ended her dharna at St Stephen's Hospital where she had gone to meet the minor girl allegedly raped by a Delhi government official.

Maliwal had sat on the dharna Monday morning, claiming that she was prevented from meeting the girl. She left the hospital Tuesday afternoon and could not meet the victim.

A police official said the mother of the girl did not want to meet anyone since the victim is still under observation at the hospital.

Premoday Khakha -- a deputy director in the city government's women and child development department -- allegedly raped the girl several times between November 2020 and January 2021, according to the Delhi Police. His wife allegedly gave the girl medicine to terminate her pregnancy.

Khakha and his wife Seema Rani were arrested on Monday.

"I came here (at the hospital) at 11 am yesterday but the Delhi Police did not allow me to meet the survivor or her mother. I spent the night here. I don't understand why the police are not allowing me to meet them," the DCW chairperson said.

She said the commission has sent a notice to the Delhi Police and the city government's women and child development and services departments, seeking action in the matter, and it was important to meet the minor and her mother for further action.

She later posted on X (formerly as Twitter), "Had I not come to meet the girl, they would have said that I didn't bother to see her. Now when I am here, they are saying it's a drama. Politics has fallen to such levels that politicians cannot speak the truth."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had Monday ordered the chief secretary to suspend the accused officer.

According to the order, during the suspension period, the officer is not permitted to leave the department headquarters without obtaining prior permission.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (north) Sagar Singh Kalsi said Rani was produced before a court on Monday and sent to judicial custody, while Khakha will be produced in the court on Tuesday.