Swati Maliwal, the chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), concluded her protest at St. Stephen’s Hospital on Tuesday. She had initiated the protest on Monday, alleging that she was denied access to the minor girl who was allegedly raped by a government official. Maliwal left the hospital on Tuesday afternoon without meeting the victim, as the girl’s mother did not wish to meet anyone while her daughter was still under observation.
The accused official, Premoday Khakha, a deputy director in the city government’s women and child development department, is accused of raping the girl multiple times between November 2020 and January 2021. His wife, Seema Rani, allegedly administered medication to terminate the victim’s pregnancy. Both Khakha and Rani were arrested on Monday. Maliwal expressed her frustration at being denied access to the survivor and her mother, stating that she had spent the night at the hospital and had sent notices to the Delhi Police and the city government’s women and child development and services departments, demanding action.
She emphasized the importance of meeting the minor and her mother for further action. Maliwal later took to social media to address the criticism of her visit, stating that if she hadn’t visited the girl, she would have been accused of negligence, but now that she was present, people were calling it a political stunt. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ordered the suspension of the accused officer, restricting him from leaving the department headquarters without prior permission. Seema Rani was presented in court on Monday and sent to judicial custody, while Khakha’s court appearance was scheduled for Tuesday.
