The airline pilot and her husband, arrested on Wednesday for employing and assaulting a 10-year-old girl, have been sent to judicial custody till August 2. While the pilot, Poornima Bagchi, 33, was remanded in judicial custody on Wednesday, her husband, Kaushik Bagchi, 36, was produced before a court on Thursday, which sent him to 14-day judicial custody.
ADVERTISEMENT
The accused were arrested from their home in Dwarka’s Bagdola on Wednesday after a mob thrashed them after the victim’s relative said she saw the girl being assaulted by the couple. A video of the incident, which went viral, showed injuries on the girl’s eyes and face as well as burns on her hands.
Hired as a babysitter
The couple had hired the girl two months ago as a stay-at-home babysitter for their four-year-old son, said an officer. The girl is currently at a Child Welfare Committee-run shelter home, he added.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We will not hand over the girl to her parents right away. We’ll question the parents on why they allowed their daughter to work and stay at the accused’s house,” the officer said. Anand Sharma, a neighbour of the accused, said their son is now with Mr. Bagchi’s sister.
A senior police officer, privy to the investigation, said the couple has been “deceptive during questioning”.
“They are claiming that the girl sustained injuries after falling from the stairs and burn marks from touching hot utensils,” the officer said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) M. Harsha Vardhan said Mr. Bagchi had been questioned at length by police officers and a forensic psychologist. He added that three persons have been held for beating up the couple and more arrests are likely.
The victim’s father said, “We haven’t been able to meet our daughter yet. We were told we will be allowed to meet her tomorrow morning.”