Delhi BJP leaders and workers staged a protest on Wednesday near minister Kailash Gahlot's residence in Civil Lines here, demanding his resignation for having an officer accused of rape with a minor as his OSD when he held the Women and Child Development portfolio.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the officer charged with raping a minor was serving as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Gahlot when he was the Women and Child Development (WCD) minister.

The officer now arrested and suspended from the post of deputy director of WCD department was "handpicked" by Gahlot, the BJP leaders alleged.

No immediate reaction was available from the AAP leader over the issue.

The officer, Premoday Khakha, was deputed as OSD to then WCD minister Kailash Gahlot on March 29, 2022. He was relieved from the duty of OSD to WCD minister on March 10, 2023, after the portfolio was handed over to another minister of Delhi government Atishi, official documents showed.

Khakha was suspended following Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's order on Monday.

Later, police arrested the WCD officer and his wife after questioning them and recording the statement of the survivor.

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