UP seeks court monitored CBI probe in Hathras case

New Delhi, Oct 06: The Uttar Pradesh government has filed an affidavit in connection with the Hathras case. The affidavit was filed in the Supreme Court which will hear a PIL seeking a CBI or SIT probe into the Hathras case.

The UP government said that a vicious campaign has been unleashed on the social media, television and print media to defame it. As the matter has caught national attention, it must be probed by a central agency, the government also said.

Further the affidavit said that the court must direct a CBI probe into the alleged rape and assault case. While giving out details of the ongoing probe, the UP government also said that vested interests are attempting to ascribe a motive to derail a fair probe.

The affidavit further says that the SC should monitor the CBI investigation into the case by keeping the PIL pending before it. The UP government has already requested the Centre to entrust the probe to the CBI so as to bring an end to vicious, false and motivated propaganda by vested interests.

The affidavit also stated that the district administration convinced the parents of the deceased to cremate the victim at night to avoid large scale violence in the morning. There were intelligence reports that lakhs of protesters could land up and the issue would be given a caste and communal colour.

The Supreme Court will today hear a PIL seeking a CBI probe or an SIT investigation into the Hathras case in which a 19 year old woman was allegedly gang raped and murdered.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde will hear the PIL filed by social activist, Satyama Dubey and advocates Vishal Thakre and Rudra Pratap Yadav. The petitioners have sought for the passing of appropriate orders for a CBI probe or an SIT investigation under a retired or sitting judge of either the High Court or Supreme Court.

The petitioners have said that the Uttar Pradesh government has failed to take appropriate action in the case. The petitioners said that the victim was first gang-raped and then brutally assaulted. She died in a hospital in Safdarjung. The police had hurriedly cremated the body and had maintained that the cremation was being carried out as per the wishes of the family. This is not true, the petitioners said.

The police have not performed their duties towards the victim, and were, instead, trying to shield the accused persons. "Because no arrest was made in this matter, the accused persons are moving freely and they have no fear at all," the petitioners also said.