In a shocking incident that has rattled Delhi, a government official accused of repeatedly raping a minor girl was caught attempting to flee with his wife just hours before his arrest. Premoday Khakha, a bureaucrat, stands accused of heinous crimes against his deceased friend’s 14-year-old daughter, including rape, molestation, and harassment.
CCTV footage accessed by law enforcement reveals the official and his wife leaving a residential compound at 9:35 am on Monday. The couple was tracked through nearby lanes until their arrest. The footage depicts their apparent effort to evade the impending arrest. Reports indicate that Khakha was in communication with a lawyer, presumably preparing for a bail application.
The tragic story unfolded over a period when the minor victim was living with Khakha and his wife in Burari from October 2020 to February 2021 following the passing of her father. During this time, she endured immense suffering as she was subjected to sexual harassment, physical molestation, and repeated rape by Khakha, who she referred to as ‘mama’. The distressing ordeal culminated in her pregnancy. Shockingly, the wife of the accused forced her to undergo an abortion.
The victim’s courageous step of recording her statement before a magistrate at a hospital led to the arrest of the accused couple on Monday. The Delhi court subsequently ordered a one-day judicial custody for the suspended Delhi government official and his wife on Tuesday.
Premoday Khakha, who held the position of deputy director in the Women and Child Development Department, was suspended following instructions from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He had served as an officer on special duty under the former WCD minister Kailash Gahlot before being relieved of his responsibilities by Atishi when she assumed the role in March this year. Khakha also had connections with the Juvenile Justice Board.