The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court on the alleged gang-rape-and-murder case in Hathras. A Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice of India S.A. Bobde, is scheduled to hear on Tuesday a plea seeking a court-monitored probe into the Hathras case.
The Uttar Pradesh government affidavit was filed without waiting for notice from the Supreme Court. The affidavit asked the Supreme Court to direct a CBI probe into the Hathras case for a "free and fair investigation". It also asked the Supreme Court to monitor the probe. On October 3, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had recommended a CBI probe into the case, amid protests by opposition groups.
The Uttar Pradesh government's affidavit alleged a "vicious campaign" had been unleashed to defame it using the Hathras case. The affidavit claimed "vested interests" were attempting to derail a fair probe.
The affidavit also referred to the cremation of the victim last week, which her family alleged was done forcibly. News agency ANI quoted the affidavit as saying, "District administration convinced parents of deceased to cremate her at night to avoid large-scale violence in the morning."
The affidavit cited intelligence inputs as warning about "possible assembly of lakhs of protesters and issue being given caste/communal colour".