Hathras: Allahabad High Court to monitor case

Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 27

The Supreme Court on Tuesday handed over the monitoring of the Hathras rape case to the Allahabad High Court and made it clear that all aspects, including alleged illegal cremation of the victim, would be considered by the high court.

However, a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde kept open the issue of shifting of trial to Delhi in view of the ongoing investigation. It took note of the submissions made by victim family’s counsel Seema Kushwaha that the need for transfer would arise after the investigation was complete.

The Bench – which had on October 6 termed the incident as “shocking, extraordinary and horrible” – made it clear that the CBI would file its reports before the high court, which would look into all aspects of the case.

It also directed that the security to the victim’s family and the witnesses shall be provided by the CRPF within a week from today.

It asked the UP Chief Secretary to bring its order to the notice of the competent officer of the CRPF forthwith with a request to provide adequate security to the victim’s family and the witnesses. The CRPF would take steps to provide the same and report it to the high court, it said.

Accepting Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s suggestion, the top court asked the Allahabad High Court to remove the victim’s name from its orders.

There were as many as 16 petitions and applications filed by various individuals and NGOs demanding a fair court-monitored CBI/SIT probe, protection and legal aid for the victim’s family and shifting of trial to Delhi.

The CBI is already investigating the matter after the Uttar Pradesh Government recommended the probe into the case to be taken over by the Central agency.

The UP Government had told the top court that the CBI investigation would be conducted under the court’s supervision in a time-bound manner even as it denied that the 19-year-old Dalit woman was raped by four men in Hathras on September 14.

The woman had died on September 29 at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital during treatment and her body was cremated at night near her home on September 30.

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