SC notice to UP seeking transfer of Bulandshahr gang rape probe

The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Uttar Pradesh government's response on a plea seeking the transfer of a probe into the Bulandshahr gang rape from the state police.

The court has also issued notice to state Urban Development Minister Azam Khan for his comment describing the alleged gang rape as a political conspiracy. The petitioner, the affected father, has sought registration of FIR against Khan.

Justice Dipak Misra and Justice C. Nagappan, while issuing notice on the plea by the father, appointed senior counsel Fali Nariman as amicus curiae to assist the court in the matter.

The court has framed four questions that it would address in the course of the hearing of the plea by the minor victim's father.

These include whether a person in a position of authority in the state could comment on the crime involving rape, murder or any other heinous crime, while another is whether such comments should be allowed as they create doubts in the mind of the victim about a fair trial.

Besides seeking the transfer of investigation from Uttar Pradesh Police, the father has urged the court to monitor the same.

The minor girl and her mother were allegedly gang-raped on the national highway near Bulandshahr while they along with the father were going to Shahjahanpur on July 29.

Addressing the court, the victim's lawyer said she suffered trauma for five hours in the presence of her father and other family members and when they called police, it did not respond for 25 minutes.

Seeking an FIR against Azam Khan, the father has taken exception to his statement describing the incident as a political conspiracy and described it as "outrageous to the modesty" of the victims.

The father has alleged that it was a case of gang rape and dacoity as the perpetrators also took away their cash and jewellery.

Seeking that the investigation be taken away from state police, the victim's father -- who is an Ola cab driver -- has alleged that local police was in collusion with the criminal gangs involved in the gang rape of his minor daughter and her mother.

--IANS

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