Delhi Women’s Panel Chief Protests Alleged Police Hooliganism in Rape Case
The Chief of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), Swati Maliwal, staged a sit-in protest at a hospital on Tuesday after being denied access to meet a minor girl who was allegedly raped by a senior official of the Delhi government. Maliwal accused the Delhi Police of ‘hooliganism’ for preventing her from meeting the victim or her family, despite the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) chairperson being granted access to the victim’s mother.
The government official accused of sexually assaulting the minor was arrested by the Delhi Police on Monday, along with his wife who was also implicated in the case. It is alleged that the sexual assault had been ongoing for several months, resulting in the victim’s pregnancy.
Maliwal expressed her frustration with the Delhi Police’s actions, stating, Delhi Police is indulging in hooliganism. They are neither allowing me to meet the girl nor her mother. I can’t understand what is Delhi Police trying to hide from me. I am told that the NCPCR chairperson was allowed to meet the girl’s mother. When the NCPCR chairperson can meet the (minor’s) mother, why can’t the DCW chief?
In response to the incident, Bansuri Swaraj, daughter of late Union Minister Sushma Swaraj and a BJP leader, accused Maliwal of obstructing the ongoing investigation. Swaraj questioned why Maliwal was protesting instead of ensuring justice for the minor.
According to the police, the minor had been residing with the accused and his wife in Burari from October 2020 to February 2021, following the death of her father, who was also a Delhi government employee.
In light of the allegations, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal suspended the accused official, pending an inquiry. An official order issued by the Delhi government stated, In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-rule (1) of Rule 10 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965, Premoday Khakha, Assistant Director is hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect.
The case has sparked various reactions, with Maliwal demanding access to the victim and her mother, while Swaraj criticizing Maliwal’s protest. The investigation into the alleged rape case continues, as authorities strive for justice for the minor in question.
