New Delhi: The Delhi BJP on Monday attacked the AAP government over the arrest of a WCD department officer on charges of raping a minor and demanded resignation of minister Kailash Gahlot, claiming the accused worked as his OSD when he was heading the department.
No immediate reaction was available from Gahlot over the issue. “The officer charged with raping a minor was serving as the OSD to the Minister of Women and Child Development (WCD). He was one of the favourites of the Kejriwal administration and was handpicked. The Kejriwal government must answer!”
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva posted on microblogging platform X. In a media interaction, Delhi BJP secretary Bansuri Swaraj claimed that the accused officer was a “handpicked” officer on special duty (OSD) to the then WCD minister Kailash Gahlot. “The accused officer exploited the girl while being OSD, therefore Gahlot should take moral responsibility and resign,” Bansuri said showing a purported government order.
Swaraj also said that the FIR against the accused officer was filed by the police on August 13, yet it took seven days to order his suspension.
Responding to the charges, the AAP said in a statement, “This heinous crime against a minor girl shakes the conscious of our society as a whole. BJP must answer why the Delhi Police did not arrest the accused immediately when the FIR was registered on August 13, 2023.” Swaraj, daughter of former BJP stalwart Suhsma Swaraj, also questioned “silence” of the present WCD minister Atishi.
“Why is she keeping silence despite being a woman and minister of this department?” Swaraj asked.
Atishi told PTI that the charges against the officer were “worrisome and shocking” because he had the responsibility to ensure safety and security of women and children. “I want to request the Delhi Police and the judiciary to take strictest action against the accused as soon as possible,” she said.
The WCD minister also demanded probe into the matter from all angles and added the accused officer was suspended soon after the Kejriwal government got information about the incident. She also said that the case against the accused should be fast tracked by the police and the courts.
The accused, a deputy director at WCD department, was suspended following a Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s order on Monday. Later, police arrested the WCD officer and his wife after questioning them and recording the statement of the victim.
In its statement, the AAP further said, “Under whose pressure did the police shield an officer accused of such depravity? We demand a detailed inquiry into these procedural lacunae. The Delhi government on becoming aware of the matter immediately issued suspension order against the accused officer.”
The BJP leaders, including Swaraj and spokesperson Shikha Rai, also hit out at Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal and accused her of trying to “politicising” the matter by sitting on a dharna.
Delhi BJP media in-charge Praveen Shankar Kapoor alleged that the AAP government has never treated the WCD department sincerely.
In 2016, the then WCD minister faced rape charges and now an officer working with minister of the department has been facing the same charges, he stated.
A Delhi government order dated March 13, 2023 said that the accused officer Premoday Khakha, deputy director (WCD) was deployed as OSD to then WCD minister Kailash Gahlot, on March 29, 2022. He was relieved from his duties as OSD with effect from March 10, 2023, a day after Atishi was appointed as Minister of WCD department.
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