CBI handed Hathras case probe

An official familiar with the development said the agency will re-register the FIR filed by the UP police in the gang rape and murder case.

The Centre on Saturday issued a notification handing over the probe into the gang rape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras in September to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

North East District Congress party Workers launch a "Save the Girls of the Country from Rape" campaign to pay homage to the victims of the Hathras gang-rape UP and also protest the silence on the incident by displaying photographs of Modi and Yogi at RRT road markets Mulund ,they demanded that the accused in the UP Hathras gang rape case accused should be hanged. (Praful Gangurde/ HT)

An official familiar with the development said the agency will re-register the FIR filed by the UP police in the gang rape and murder case.

The notification has been marked to a suitable branch of CBI and probe teams, along with forensic experts, will be dispatched to the crime scene after the registration of an FIR, the official added.

However, a senior CBI official who didn’t wish to be named, said that federal agency will not be taking over probe into the case related to alleged criminal conspiracy to spread caste conflict, instigating violence, incidents of vicious propaganda by sections of media and political interests.

In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court earlier this week, the UP government had said that a probe by central agency would obviate hindrance being created by certain vested interests in the fair and impartial investigation. It had added that a CBI probe will ensure that no vested interests will be able to create a fake and false narrative with oblique motives.

In Hathras, elaborate security cover has been provided to the victim’s family members, who are slated to appear before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Monday.

“The district administration and police are drafting a plan for the journey of the victim’s family to Lucknow so that they may appear before the court on October 12. Finer details are being worked out and it is to be decided when to leave Hathras for Lucknow and how many security personnel would accompany the family members,” said Hathras superintendent of police Vineet Jaiswal.

Police officials said the victim’s family has been provided a layered security cover.

“For the purpose of documentation of those coming to meet the family, a register is being maintained and names of those reaching the house are being noted,” said deputy inspector general (DIG) of police Shalabh Mathur.