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