Hathras Horror: CBI takes over case a week after Yogi's request; Ghaziabad branch to probe

After the UP government recommending a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)-led probe into the Hathras case, the Central agency's Ghaziabad branch has taken over the case and will shortly file an FIR. Currently, a 3-member SIT comprising of Home Secretary Bhagwan Swarup, DIG Chandraprakash, and Commandant Poonam is probing into the case. A 19-year-old Dalit woman was reported to be allegedly gang-raped and murdered by four upper-caste men in Hathras.

Hathras case: Accused plead 'innocence', claim victim's kin 'beat her' in a letter to SP

CBI takes over Hathras case

Hathras case: UP Law Minister Brajesh Pathak vows 'Will demand death penalty for accused'

Allahabad High Court takes cognisance

Earlier in the day, the Allahabad High Court's Lucknow bench has summoned top police officials - DGP, ADG (Law & Order), Additional Chief Secretary, Home Minister, District Magistrate Hathras, SP Hathras on October 12. This is after the HC took suo-moto cognizance of the case and to file the investigation report along with other necessary documents. The court has also summoned the victim's family, tasking the administration with the responsibility to present them in court. The Uttar Pradesh government has named AAG Vinod Shahi as the special advocate to represent it.

The victim's family have blamed the district magistrate for pressurising them, while the four accused - Sandeep, Luv Kush, Ravi and Ramu have written a letter to the Hathras SP alleging that they are innocent and that false charges of murder, physical assault, and atrocities against SC/ST were levied against them. Though the government has installed CCTV cameras and deployed 60 police officials for the protection of the victim's family, several upper-caste men have been protesting outside the victim's house in Hathras, in favour of the accused, stating that 'rape did not occur'. CM Yogi Adityanath has lashed out at the Opposition for attempting to 'inciting caste riots'.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath recommends CBI probe into Hathras case amid nationwide outrage

What is the Hathras gangrape case? 

A 19-year-old woman in a village in UP's Hathras district was reported to have been brutally gang-raped by 4 men when she was collecting fodder for her cattle on September 14 - all four 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. 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. 

Hathras District hospital doctor: 'No mention of sexual assault when victim was brought'

Police filed two FIRs against Congress leader Shyoraj Jivan for his plot to trigger caste riots in the wake of the Hathras case. Apart from this case, police have filed 14 FIRs and 6 cases across UP alleging criminal conspiracy to incite violence via the incident - arresting four PFI members and a journalist. The government has also filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court demanding an SC-monitored CBI probe while contending that 'no sexual assault occurred'. Five police officers including the district's Police Superintendent (SP) Vikrant Vir have been suspended for the 'midnight funeral' and the family has been offered an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakhs, govt job to one family member and a house.