CBI files chargesheet against four for Dalit woman’s rape-murder on September 14
The CBI on Friday filed a chargesheet against four accused in the gangrape and murder case of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras.
Those charged for gangrape and murder in the case are Sandeep, Luvkush, Ravi and Ramu. The Dalit victim was allegedly raped by four upper-caste men in Hathras on September 14. She died on September 29 at the Safdarjung Hospital here during treatment.
“The Central Bureau of Investigation has today filed a chargesheet against four accused (residents of district Hathras) in the Court of Special Judge, Hathras (Uttar Pradesh) in a case related to an incident at Hathras,” the CBI said in a statement here.
The CBI had registered the case on October 11 this year on the request of Uttar Pradesh Government and further notification from the Centre.
Accordingly, the investigation of the case, earlier registered vide CC No-136/2020 at Police Station Chandpa, district Hathras on a complaint, was taken over by CBI.
The victim was cremated in the dead of the night near her home on September 30. Her family alleged they were forced by the local police to hurriedly conduct her last rites. Local police officers, however, had claimed the cremation was carried out “as per the wishes of the family”.
The UP Government had faced a lot of flak over handling of the case, compelling it to entrust the investigation to the Central agency.
State police officials had refuted allegations of gangrape leading to a massive uproar.
Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Priynaka Gandhi and a host of politicians had marched to Harthras to express solidarity with the victim’s family.
The agency has looked into the role of accused Sandeep, Luvkush, Ravi and Ramu who are currently in judicial custody, officials said, adding the accused were also put through various forensic tests at the Forensic Science Laboratory in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Reacting to the CBI charge sheet in the case, Priyanka said despite the campaign against the 19-year-old, Dalit woman and attempts to threaten her family, truth has ultimately prevailed. “On one side, there was government-protected injustice. On the other hand, was the victim’s family’s hope for justice. The victim’s body was forcefully cremated, and there were attempts to tarnish her image. The family was threatened. But, in the end, truth has prevailed. Satyamev jayate,” Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet
The CBI investigators had also met doctors at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, where the victim was treated after the alleged gang rape on September 14 as part of the probe, they said.
The CBI had constituted a team to probe the incident and handed over the probe to its Ghaziabad unit which also recorded statements of family members of the victim.