Unnao rape case: Allahabad HC takes suo motu cognisance, says body of victim's father shouldn't be cremated

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of the Unnao rape case. The court also said that the body of the victim’s father, who had died in police custody, should be kept safe and not be sent for cremation, according to CNN-News18 . The chief justice division bench of the high court will hear the case on Thursday.

On Tuesday, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged gangrape of a girl by a BJP legislator in Uttar Pradesh and the subsequent death of her father in police custody. The petition by advocate ML Sharma also sought Rs 3 crore compensation and protection to the family of the girl.

Sharma said the case must be handed over to the CBI for a “fair investigation and prosecution”. “Custodial death of the victim’s father is a clear case of torture by police at the behest of the state’s ruling party… (the case) is now against the UP Police and UP Police cannot investigate against themselves,” he said.

The Supreme Court said that it will hear the plea for a CBI probe into the case next week.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh Police had set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the rape accusations against Unnao MLA Kuldeep Singh Senger and other accused, and the death of the girl’s father. Police had suspended six of its personnel, including station house officer of Makhi and five constables, and arrested Senger’s brother Atul Singh and four of his aides — Baua, Vineet, Shailu and Sonu — for allegedly beating the girl’s father to death.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also taken cognizance of the case and said that the allegations, if true, raise serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim’s family. The commission has issued notice to the state’s chief secretary and director general of police, calling for a detailed report in the matter, including action taken against the delinquent police officials, who refused to register an FIR. “All the reports, including health screening report of the deceased at the time of his admission in the jail and medical treatment provided by the jail authorities, are to be sent. They have been given four weeks to respond,” the NHRC said.

The incident has triggered a political storm and public outrage in the state. A magisterial probe has also been ordered by the district administration.

With inputs from agencies