Hathras case: SC reserves order as victim's family demands transfer of trial to Delhi

Hearing pleas seeking a court-monitored CBI probe into the Hathras case, the Supreme Court on Thursday, reserved its order. The SC bench headed by CJI S A Bobde, refused to hear new petitions on the matter after hearing arguments from the Uttar Pradesh government, accused and the victim. The Supreme Court will now pronounce an order if the trial must be transferred to Delhi, whether SC or HC will monitor the CBI probe and if the victim's family's security must be transferred to CRPF rather than UP police.

Hathras horror: Supreme Court to hear case as UP govt asks fortnightly reports from CBI

Arguments in SC

Appearing for the UP government Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, highlighted the security detail provided to the victim's family maintaining that CRPF security is not necessary as the 'state is non-partisan'. The family, represented by advocate Seema Kushwaha, said argued that the trial should be transferred to Delhi while Indira Jaising argued that CRPF protection must be provided to the family. Meanwhile, advocate Siddharth Luthra - representing one of the accused, has asked that the family must not reveal details of the investigation to the media - the SC has allowed him to approach the Allahabad High Court. 

Previously, the UP govt informed that eight CCTV cameras have been installed outside the victim's home to ensure their security. The state government too has asked the apex court to monitor the CBI probe as the team began its investigation on Tuesday. The team head along led by Dy SP  Seema Pahuja, has visited the field where the victim was allegedly strangled, along with the victim's mother and brother, for recreating the crime scene. The team which was accompanied by a forensic expert and police personnel also visited the site where the victim was cremated by police, allegedly without the family's permission.

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What is the Hathras rape case?

A 19-year-old Dalit woman was reported to be allegedly raped by four upper-caste men in a field on September 14 - all accused have been arrested. The victim succumbed to her injuries and her autopsy report read spinal cord injuries, paralysis, and cuts in her tongue with no mention of rape. Citing it, the police has claimed that the victim was 'not raped' highlighting that 'neck injury and trauma' were mentioned as the cause of death and that no traces of sperm were found in her private parts. 

Hathras case: Victim's family tell HC 'was unaware of her funeral'; next hearing on Nov 2

The case took an ugly turn when UP police cremated the victim's body at 2:30 AM on September 30, allegedly without the family's consent, which has been refuted by the police. Five police officers including the district's Police Superintendent (SP) Vikrant Vir have been suspended for the 'midnight funeral'. The family has been offered an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakhs, govt job to one family member and a house by the state govt as several upper-caste men protest outside the victim's home, in favour of the accused, stating that 'no rape occurred'.

Hathras case: Allahabad HC pulls up UP govt on late-night cremation; DM's role questioned