India / CBI takes over investigation of Hathras case

New Delhi: The Centre on Saturday issued a notification that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will take over the investigation into the alleged gangrape and murder of the 19-year-old Dalit woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras. The agency probe teams will be dispatched to the crime scene along with forensic experts immediately after the registration of an FIR, PTI quoted officials.

The state government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had recommended a CBI probe into the Hathras case after it faced intense criticism from the Opposition over its handling of the case, including her hurried cremation without the family’s presence. The Opposition parties also called for the CM’s resignation even as some critical voices within the BJP have come to fore.

The woman was allegedly raped by four upper caste men on September 14 and was referred to Safdarjung Hospital in an extremely critical condition. She died two weeks later on September 29. The accused — Sandeep, 20, his uncle Ravi, 35, and their friends Ramu, 26, and Luv Kush, 23 — have been booked on charges of murder, gangrape and under the SC/ST Act.  They, however, have written to the Hathras Superintendent of Police, claiming they are “innocent” and that the 19-year-old woman was beaten up by her brother and mother on September 14, the day of the incident.

Earlier today, the Ministry of Home Affairs directed the state police to strictly adhere to guidelines and adopt stringent action while dealing with cases related to crimes against women. The police has drawn flak for allegedly intimidating the kin of the deceased, refusing to hand over the body of the victim to the family, and collecting forensic samples 11 days after the crime.