In a significant ruling on Friday, the Supreme Court declined to grant bail to Seema Rani Khakha, the wife of suspended Delhi government officer Premoday Khakha, who is implicated in the repeated rape and impregnation of a minor girl. The bench, comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma, allowed the petitioner the option to seek bail from the trial court after a year.
Premoday Khakha, accused of raping the daughter of an acquaintance several times from November 2020 to January 2021, remains in judicial custody following his arrest in August 2023. The allegations extend to his wife, Seema Rani, who reportedly administered abortive medication to the minor, also held in judicial custody.
The case, previously reviewed by the Delhi High Court on September 6, saw the dismissal of Seema Rani’s bail plea due to the severe nature of the allegations which, the court remarked, severely undermined trust between two families and posed a risk of influencing witnesses.
During the hearing, advocate Subhashis Soren, representing Seema Rani, argued her prolonged detention since August 2023 and highlighted that charges had been framed. However, the Delhi police’s counsel strongly opposed the bail, a stance that the Supreme Court ultimately upheld.
The High Court underscored the gravity of the allegations, noting the victim had been living with the accused’s family following her father’s death and referred to Premoday Khakha as ‘mama.’ In its decision, the High Court emphasized that while bail is generally favored, the courts must carefully balance such decisions against the nature of the crime, particularly in sexual assault cases involving minors.
Seema Rani’s defense also raised points regarding her age, stating that at 50 years old and after a year in custody, the allegations, including those of pregnancy, were disputable. They cited a medical report indicating that Premoday had a vasectomy, arguing his incapacity to reproduce. However, the court dismissed these arguments as irrelevant to the bail consideration, stressing that the accused should have protected the minor.
