DCW chief Maliwal on dharna at hospital,claims not allowed to meet girl raped by Delhi govt official
New Delhi, Aug 21: 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.
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson 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 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 in a statement.
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 registration of FIR. "Even I was not allowed to meet the survivor on 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.
The commission further sought details of complaints made against the officer in the past and action taken in that connection.
The Delhi Police and the city government have been directed to provide their reports by Wednesday.
Responding to National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma's statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the DCW's "own officer is been raping a girl since last two years", Maliwal said legal action will be taken against it for "false accusations and defaming the commission".
"Strongly object to the lies being spread by the NCW chairperson and some BJP politicians, stating that the accused is an employee of the DCW. The statement is a fake propaganda. Legal action will be taken against spreading of such fake news and defaming the commission," Maliwal said.
Khakha has been placed under suspension with immediate effect, according to an order issued by Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier in the day ordered the chief secretary to suspend the officer.
According to the order, during the suspension period, the officer is not permitted to leave the department headquarters without obtaining prior permission.
Speaking about the incident, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that it is "surprising as to why the official was not suspended".
"The incident is a shame on humanity. It is surprising as to why the official was not suspended. Today, the chief minister had to give an order for his suspension. Why hasn't the Delhi Police arrested him yet?" Bhardwaj told PTI earlier in the day.
The girl was staying with the accused, a family friend whom she calls 'mama', at his home after her father passed away in October 2020.
When the minor allegedly became pregnant, she informed the wife of the accused who later asked her son to get medicines for pregnancy termination and gave those to the girl.
The girl returned home with her mother in January 2021 when she came to meet her. She had an anxiety attack in August and her mother admitted her to a hospital, where the girl, now a student of Class 12, narrated the whole incident during the counselling session.
VIDEO | "The (accused) Delhi government official has exerted clout that's why he was not arrested for 10 days by Delhi Police. We have come here to meet the victim but we are not allowed by police to do so," says DCW chief @SwatiJaiHind on the alleged rape of a minor by a Delhi… pic.twitter.com/pABtbR2zst
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 21, 2023
If one is determined, any force can be taken on... She's a force to reckon with.
— Dr Ranjan (@AAPforNewIndia) August 21, 2023
Delhi Police haven't allowed Swati Maliwal to meet the victim & Delhi Child Protection Commission to meet the victim.
Victim's statement is still NOT recorded by the Police.pic.twitter.com/62Es3lL5r5
दिल्ली सरकार का डिप्टी डायरेक्टर नाबालिग लड़की रेप करता है
— Abhishek Anand Journalist 🇮🇳 (@TweetAbhishekA) August 21, 2023
पीड़िता प्रेग्नेंट हो जाती है, आरोपी की पत्नी अबॉर्शन करवा देती है
दिल्ली महिला आयोग की @SwatiJaiHind को पीड़िता से मिलने भी नहीं दिया जाता है
बेटी बचाओ, बेटी पढ़ाओ, का ये कौन सा वर्जन है?pic.twitter.com/udzYzadEEh
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Death toll from Israeli strikes in northeast Lebanon rises from 8 to 24, Lebanese news agency says
Deir al-Balah, Nov 1: Israeli airstrikes on Friday killed at least 24 people in northeastern Lebanon, the country's news agency said, raising the death toll from eight there.
It was the latest deadly toll in the area since the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah escalated last month.
Israel's military has said that its operation in Lebanon is targeting Hezbollah's military infrastructure.
Lebanon's state National news Agency reported four airstrikes in different villages across country's northeast, saying rescuers were still searching for survivors in Younine, a town in the Bekaa Valley, from the rubble of a targeted house.
Hussein Haj Hassan, a Lebanese lawmaker representing the region in Baalbek-Hermel region, said that 60,000 people have already fled their homes in the area due to Israeli bombardment.
