Minor rape case: Delhi HC denies bail to former govt official Khakha, wife

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday denied bail to Premoday Khakha and his wife in a POCSO case. Their earlier bail applications were dismissed by the trial court as well.
The Delhi government's former deputy director, Premoday Khakha, and his wife moved an appeal at the high court on the ground that Delhi Police had not filed a complete chargesheet against them. Therefore, they are entitled to default bail, they said.
Justice Jyoti Singh, after hearing the arguments of counsels for petitioners Khakha and his wife Seema and additional standing counsel for Delhi police, dismissed the bail applications.
Details of the order are yet to be uploaded.
It was submitted that Delhi Police had not filed a chargesheet against them. Therefore, they are entitled to a default bail.
Additional Standing Counsel Roopali Bandyopadhyay, however, opposed the bail pleas.
Delhi Police had filed a chargesheet against the couple on October 11, 2023. This matter goes back to August 2023. On November 9, 2023, the Tis Hazari Court took cognizance of the chargesheet.
Thereafter, they moved bail applications that were dismissed by the court.
Premoday Khakha and his wife are currently in judicial custody. The accused was alleged to have sexually harassed his friend's minor daughter for several months and impregnated her.
Delhi Police in August arrested Khakha and his wife, saying his wife threatened the minor victim and made her undergo an abortion.
Khakha, who was the Deputy Director of the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department of the Delhi government, was suspended later.
Delhi Police had filed an FIR for rape, molestation, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy, causing hurt, causing miscarriage without consent, criminal conspiracy, common intention, and under the Pocso Act.