Even as Delhi government officer Premoday Khakha was arrested on Monday for allegedly raping a minor several times and impregnating her, BJP state leaders questioned why he had been picked to serve as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Minister of Women and Child Development in the first place. A resource trainer on child protection, Juvenile Justice (CPC) Act and POCSO Act, Khakha joined the Delhi government’s Women and Child Department in 1998 as an ex-cadre official.
The accused had allegedly raped the girl several times between November 2020 and January 2021. His wife has also been charged with giving the girl medicine to terminate her pregnancy.
Who is Premoday Khakha?
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.
According to details on his LinkedIn profile, Khakha served as the Superintendent of the Juvenile Justice Board in Delhi from February to August 2011. The body has sole jurisdiction to handle juveniles in dispute with law. He was also a member of Drafting Committee for JJ(CPC) Rules 2016, which are yet to be notified.
The now suspended officer worked on multiple programmes related to rehabilitation and social reintegration of children in conflict with law, children who are in need of care and protection, and other schemes for ensuring child protection and development.
He was also tasked with assisting in the implementation of the Integrated Child Protection Scheme in Delhi. The scheme aims at "building a protective environment for children in difficult circumstances, as well as other vulnerable children, through Government-Civil Society Partnership."
His LinkedIn profile mentions that he has been trained on on child protection, JJ (CPC) Act and POCSO Act -- which are also the acts under which he has been booked by the Delhi Police for allegedly raping a minor in his care.
