NEW DELHI: A senior official working with the Delhi government's Women and Child Development department has been booked for allegedly sexually harassing and raping a minor girl, who happened to be the daughter of his friend.
The accused officer is serving as deputy director with the Women and Child Development department.
The victim is a Class XII student. She met the accused at a church. In 2020, the victim's father died, after which she got into depression. The accused, who had already befriended her, took her to his house on the pretext of helping her.
But, girl told the police that during the time between October 2020 and February 2021, when she was with her "guardian" who lived in Burari, she was raped several times.
"She was sexually harassed, physically molested, and repeatedly raped by the uncle under whose care and guardianship she was staying at his house," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (north) Sagar Singh Kalsi.
"The most shocking part," news agency IANS quoting a source said, "is that when the girl got pregnant, she was threatened with dire consequences by the accused. When the victim narrated the whole story to his wife, instead of helping her, she got her foetus aborted. The woman sent her son to buy abortion pills, which were given to the victim by her."
The girl started having anxiety bouts and was admitted to a hospital a week back. After extensive psychological counselling, she opened up to the doctors, counsellors, and police officers about the abuse she underwent at the hands of the accused. Following this, based on her complaint, police registered an FIR at the Burari police station.
The FIR has been filed under sections 376(2)(f), 506, 509, 323, 313, 120B, and 34 of the IPC and sections 6/21 of the POCSO Act has been lodged against the accused and his wife.
"The Medicolegal examination has been done. The investigation is in progress. The survivor is still recovering and is under care. She is a minor and a student," DCP Kalsi further said.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government refuted some reports that claimed that the accused person is an OSD to the Minister of Women and Child Development. According to a Delhi government official, the alleged person is currently posted as Deputy Director in the WCD Department.
"Since an FIR has been lodged in the alleged matter, Law should take its course. Delhi Government is sensitive in regard to such serious matters of women's safety and child abuse, If he has committed any such reprehensible act, then the sternest possible action should be taken against him," the official said.