Atishi seeks answers from CS over 'mishandling' of sexual harassment complaints against WCD official

New Delhi: Delhi Minister Atishi has written a letter to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar regarding alleged repeated complaints of sexual harassment against WCD official Prem Uday Khakha, questioning how such an officer was allowed to work in the Women and Child Development Department.

Khaka was recently placed under arrest for allegedly raping a minor daughter of his deceased friend.

Atishi has pointed out that if there were repeated complaints of sexual harassment against the officer, the lack of action taken raises concerns.

"Several media reports have highlighted that the officer from the WCD Department, who has been arrested for the alleged repeated rape of a minor, had previously faced complaints about sexual harassment of women. This is an incredibly serious matter. Failing to take timely action only emboldens wrongdoers. A system that doesn't treat sexual harassment complaints seriously becomes complicit in crimes against women. Offenders start to believe that their actions have no consequences and become more audacious. This puts women and girls around them at even greater risk," read her letter.

Atishi stated that this situation raises serious questions about how complaints are handled and the process of disciplinary action against officers.

"Which senior officers were aware of the repeated offences by this WCD Officer?" Atishi has inquired.

Atishi emphasised that if complaints of sexual harassment against this particular official were known to senior officers in the Government of NCT of Delhi, it raises very serious questions about how the complaints were managed, inquiries conducted, and disciplinary actions taken.

"How could senior officers turn a blind eye to such complaints? What makes this incident especially alarming is that the officer in question was working in the Women and Child Department. How could someone accused of sexual harassment of women be allowed to work in a department responsible for the protection and welfare of women and children?" she questioned.

"If media reports about the sexual harassment complaints are to be believed, the level of indifference by the government machinery in handling such serious complaints and implementing disciplinary action is truly shocking. It makes me concerned about how many more such incidents might exist without coming to light. Without prompt and strict action taken on these issues, perpetrators of crimes against women feel emboldened," her letter stated.

Atishi has instructed the Chief Secretary to provide a detailed report on the multiple sexual harassment complaints against the said WCD Officer. The requested report seeks answers regarding the investigations, officials who dealt with the complaints, and the disciplinary actions taken in response to the complaints against the accused officer.