Allahabad HC takes cognisance of letter petition on Unnao rape
The Allahabad high court on Wednesday took cognisance of the letter petition by senior advocate Gopal Swaroop Chaturvedi seeking a courtmonitored investigation into the rape of a woman in Unnao, allegedly by a BJP MLA and his aides, and in the death of her father in judicial custody.
The bench comprising chief justice DB Bhosale and justice Suneet Kumar appointed Chaturvedi as amicus curiae in the case to represent the victim.
The court directed the letter be registered as PIL and fixed April 12 as the next hearing. The bench asked advocate general or one of the additional advocate generals to remain present during the hearing and apprise the court with the case and action taken in this connection.
The court directed the officials concerned to preserve the body of the rape survivor’s father, if the cremation has not already been done.
PLEA IN APEX COURT
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday that it will hear next week here a plea for CBI probe into the case. The bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud said it would hear the plea which also alleges that the rape victim’s father was tortured and killed in the police custody at the behest of the “ruling party”.
The petition, filed by advocate Manohar Lal Sharma, sought the court’s direction to the CBI to probe the alleged kidnapping and rape of a minor girl in July last year “by the BJP MLA and his companion and custodial death of her father via torture” on April 9.
In his letter petition dated April 11, the senior advocate cited a report published in the Hindustan Times in which chief medical officer of Unnao Dr SP Chaudhary had said that 14 injuries were found on the body of the alleged rape victim’s father and he died of shock and septicaemia caused due to perforation in intestine. In the letter, Chaturvedi sought a court-monitored investigation to ensure fair investigation into the case.
The court observed, “What is disturbing, as submitted by Mr Chaturvedi, is that the father of the prosecutrix, for no reason, came to be arrested and was in custody, where he was mercilessly beaten and he succumbed to the injuries yesterday.”
ALLAHABAD: