NEW DELHI: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal sat on a dharna at a hospital on Monday, claiming that she was prevented from meeting the minor girl allegedly raped by a Delhi government official.
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, a senior police officer had said. His wife allegedly gave the girl medicine to terminate her pregnancy.
Khakha and his wife were after questioning on Monday. Maliwal alleged that the hospital authorities did not allow her to meet the 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 said.
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. “Even I was not 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 arrests. It has also sought the details of action taken by the city government against the officer. It further sought details of complaints made against the officer in the past and action taken in that connection.