Debokjyoti Das, senior manager in Genpact, and his wife Paromita, assistant director in a Delhi-based private firm, were arrested from their Kendriya Vihar house in Sector 56 early on Saturday morning after the National Commission for Women (NCW) and Shakti Vahini, an NGO, had rescued Lakhi, their domestic help. Lakhi’s eyes were swollen and red, two fingers broken and had blisters on her hands. A team was sent to Das’ house following a complaint to the NCW from a neighbour.
A medical test on Lakhi confirmed a broken upper jaw and teeth and bruises below the right eye, advising opinions of a dental surgeon and an eye specialist. The report found a deformed little finger on her right hand and healed wounds and scars all over her body, besides pain in the back and other external injuries. The report also confirmed that all the injuries were inflicted by a blunt object within 72 hours before her rescue.
Debokjyoti and Paromita were charged under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing injuries), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 374 (unlawful compulsory labour) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 15 of the Child Labour Regulatory Act. While Debokjyoti got bail on Sunday, his wife had got bail late on Saturday night.
DCP (East) Jagdish Nagar said the sections related to “beating”. When asked why charges under the Juvenile Protection Act were not brought against the couple, he said it was applicable to cruelty against children up to the age of 13 years. “I do not have a medical report as of now but I was told she is 14 years old,” Nagar said, adding that he was yet to personally look into all the matters related to the case.
Investigating officer Hawa Singh said the sections were decided after long discussions. “I had only heard of such cases. This is the first time in my 32-year-old career that I have seen such a case. Getting bail does not mean they have been acquitted. If her eye report says she may lose vision, we will include Section 326, which is non-bailable.”
When asked why Paromita was released on Saturday, Singh said according to directions from the Supreme Court, a child or a woman could not be detained overnight unless they were arrested for a heinous crime.