The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the Delhi government to grant protection to a 17-year-old girl who was allegedly repeatedly raped by the suspended Delhi officer, Premoday Khakha, at his residence between 2020 and 2021. The court directed the government to ensure the safety of the girl and her mother. The High Court also granted the government three weeks to formulate a Standard Operating Procedure to be followed in cases involving children.

Khakha was arrested in August for allegedly raping and impregnating the girl. The suspect and his wife, Seema Rani, were also produced in the court.

In her statement, the minor told the police that after her father’s demise in October 2020 due to COVID-19, Khakha brought her to his residence in Burari. Her mother thought that living with Khakha’s two children would help the girl overcome the tragedy of losing her father at an early age, a senior police officer said.

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“The girl has alleged that Khakha raped her multiple times between November 2020 and January 2021. Around February, she alleged that she got pregnant and informed Khakha’s wife Rani about it. The woman allegedly slapped her, threatened her and gave her abortion pills to silence her. Around April 2021, she returned to her mother’s house after telling her that she did not like to stay with Khakha’s family. However, she did not tell her mother about the sexual assault and the abortion,” the officer said, quoting the girl’s statement.

The young girl began experiencing anxiety attacks that significantly impacted her performance in school. In response to this, her mother sought help at a city hospital in August, where the girl received counseling. Over the course of several counseling sessions, she disclosed allegations of sexual assault involving Khakha and several other individuals.