Delhi rape case: Accused govt official repeatedly drugged minor, say reports

livemint.com:

A now-suspended Delhi government official has been accused of repeatedly drugging and raping a 14-year-old girl at his home. The first such assault is believed to have taken place mere days after the victim - traumatised by her father's death - came to live with Premoday Khakha and his wife. Reports indicate that the girl was drugged before each act of abuse and even woke up to find injuries on her body.

During her five-month stay in the couple's Burari home, the minor victim was raped at least twice and repeatedly molested by Khakha. When she turned to his wife for aid, the latter allegedly had their 21-year-old son buy abortion pills to feed the pregnant teen. According to an NDTV report citing the police, the teen had been suffering frequent panic attacks after her father passed away in late 2020, compelling her to drop out of school after Class IX and enroll in an open learning institution.

It is believed that the dual trauma had left her unable to alert authorities. The assault eventually came to light this month after she spoke to a counsellor at a Delhi hospital. Details of the horrific crime emerged earlier this month with Premoday Khakha and his wife being arrested on Monday.