Delhi court jails pilot's husband till Aug 2 for tormenting minor domestic help

Delhi court sends 36-year-old Kaushik Bagchi, husband of arrested pilot, to judicial custody till August 2 for allegedly assaulting their minor domestic help.

A Delhi court on Thursday sent the 36-year-old Kaushik Bagchi - husband of the arrested pilot - to judicial custody till August 2 for allegedly assaulting their minor domestic help in southwest Delhi's Dwarka. He was produced before the court around 3 pm, reported news agency PTI.

The accused airline staffer. (ANI Photo)

Bagchi's wife Poornima Bagchi, who is a pilot for a private airline, was sent to judicial custody till August 2 on Wednesday.

According to the police, the minor girl's eyes were swollen and red, suggesting she was punched. Reportedly, the girl told the police that she was burnt with an electric iron around 20 days ago.

The incident came to light after a purported video went viral on social media, in which the couple could be seen being manhandled by a mob. In the video, some women were also seen slapping and pulling the hair of the accused woman, who was in her uniform.

Immediately after, a case was registered against the couple under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 342 (wrongful confinement), and 370 (buying or disposing of any person as a slave) of the Indian Penal Code, Child Labour Act and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, the police said.

Deputy Commissioner of police (Dwarka) Harsha Vardhan said, “We have arrested the couple. They had illegally employed a child as their house help. Our initial investigation has revealed that they were often subjecting the minor girl to cruelty. No allegations of sexual harassment were made. The girl was employed at the couple’s house by her relative living in the neighborhood."

(With inputs from agencies)