Published 18:47 IST, October 5th 2020
Hathras horror: Smriti Irani reveals call to UP CM Yogi before his referral of case to CBI
Smriti Irani said she had specifically contacted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on the issue following which the state government recommended CBI
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Amid outrage over the Hathras incident, Union Minister Smriti Irani said she had specifically contacted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on the issue following which the state government recommended a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). In a press conference on Monday, Irani declined to comment more on the case and expressed faith in a probe by CBI.
The Union Minister, hailing the BJP-led government, also said, "There are a lot of laws the BJP govt has implemented to make sure that women in the country are safe."
Breaking her silence on the case, Irani on Saturday had said she was informed that the Women Commission has been in touch with the state as well as district officials regarding the incident, and have been trying to ensure justice for the victim. "I personally spoke to the UP CM and noticed that an SIT has been formed to investigate the matter. Once the SIT reports arrive, legal action will be taken against the guilty officials." She had also slammed the Gandhis for 'politicising' the Hathras case.
UP CM transfers Hathras case to CBI
On Saturday, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath ordered the Hathras case to be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Announcing this move in a tweet, the office of Chief Minister said the CM decided to hand over the entire investigation into the Hathras case to the CBI so that all aspects related to the case are investigated thoroughly. The Chief Minister also ordered the suspension of five police officers, including the district's Police Superintendent (SP) Vikrant Vir for the midnight funeral. A 3-member SIT is currently probing the case and will submit its report within a week.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday filed an FIR under various sections of the IPC alleging criminal conspiracy to incite violence via the incident.
The Hathras case
Reports until Friday stated that the 19-year-old woman had been gangraped by four upper-caste men in Hathras on September 14 in a field, leaving her in a critical condition. When her condition worsened, she was referred to AIIMS but was admitted to Safdarjung hospital in Delhi last Monday with spinal cord injuries, paralysis, and cuts in her tongue. She succumbed at around 3 am on Tuesday. The case is currently the subject of a huge amount of protest, with political parties also involved.
The autopsy report said the cause of death of the victim was trauma due to a neck injury and didn't mention rape, following which the UP ADG had contended the same. Videos of the victim's mother as well as the original complaint said she had been strangled and named the person who did it, not mentioning rape.
18:47 IST, October 5th 2020