Hathras Rape Case: SC To Hear PIL Seeking CBI Probe

The Supreme Court will be taking up a PIL on Tuesday that is seeking CBI probe into the Hathras alleged gangrape case. The plea will be heard by a bench led by CJI SA Bobde.

A retired judge on Monday moved the top court seeking a probe into the role of police officials and registration of FIRs against them in connection with a Dalit woman who died days after being allegedly gang raped in Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh.

Filed by ex-judicial officer Chandra Bhan Singh, the petition alleged that "callousness and highhandedness" of the state administration and police officials in giving treatment to the victim led to her death and sought a probe by any agency other than affiliated to Uttar Pradesh government.

Another PIL filed in the matter sought an investigation by the CBI or SIT monitored by sitting or retired judge of the SC or high court into the case.

Alleging abuse of authority and high-handedness, yet another petition filed in the top court demanded imposition of President's rule in UP in view of the incident, contending it amounted to failure of constitutional machinery.

The state government has already recommended a CBI probe even as it denied that the 19-year-old Dalit woman was raped by four upper-caste 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. Her family alleged the police forced them to hurriedly conduct her last rites – an allegation denied by police.