HC directs UP govt to relocate Hathras victim’s family to Ghaziabad or Noida

The case pertains to the alleged murder and gang rape of the 19-year-old woman in Hathras on September 14, 2020.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Monday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to rehabilitate and relocate to Ghaziabad or Noida the family of the 19-year-old Dalit woman who was allegedly sexually gang-raped and murdered in Hathras in 2020. The court set a three-month deadline for the relocation.

The court also directed the additional chief secretary (home) to file a compliance affidavit on the matter.

The court also directed the additional chief secretary (home) to file a compliance affidavit on the matter.

“We, therefore, see no reason to grant any further time to the State for reconsideration of the matter. We accordingly set aside the decision dated 22.02.2025 and direct the State Government to rehabilitate and relocate the victim’s family in Ghaziabad or Noida, as the case may be, positively within three months. A compliance affidavit shall be filed by none other than the Additional Chief Secretary, (Home) Government of U.P., Lucknow,” the court ordered.

Hearing the plea on Monday, the court observed that it intended to proceed with the final hearing of the matter but first considered it necessary to ensure compliance with its earlier orders by the state government.

The case pertains to the alleged murder and gang rape of the 19-year-old woman in Hathras on September 14, 2020. The court had taken suo motu cognisance of the matter in October 2020.

During an earlier hearing last year, the court had observed that the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision did not mention the family’s request for rehabilitation in Ghaziabad or Gautam Buddh Nagar and, therefore, did not address their plea. The court was referring to a state government decision submitted in response to its earlier directive.

A division bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Jaspreet Singh passed the order while hearing a PIL. In compliance with the court’s directive of January 8, 2025, the state filed an affidavit on February 24, 2025, attaching its decision dated February 22, 2025.

The court noted that the state’s response did not consider the family’s request for relocation to Ghaziabad or Gautam Buddh Nagar and instead reiterated its earlier offer of rehabilitation in Kasganj, Etah or Aligarh.

The court observed that the state had shown “unnecessary resistance” to its earlier directions and that the decision dated February 22, 2025 did not amount to proper consideration of the family’s request. It said the state’s approach lent credence to the family’s allegation that the government was treating the matter as adversarial and was reluctant to extend the statutory benefits ordered by the court.