UP govt gives four reasons to HC for not shifting Hatras DM

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has listed four reasons before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court for not transferring district magistrate of Hathras after the gangrape incident in the district.

The government has also tried to justify the decision to perform the last rites of the deceased in the night.

The case came up for hearing in the court of Justice Pankaj Mittal and Justice Ranjan Roy on November 25 last. However, the order was uploaded on the court’s website on December 2 (Wednesday).

During the hearing of the case on November 5, the court had asked advocate of the Uttar Pradesh government, SV Raju, whether it was fair and reasonable to allow the district magistrate of Hathras to continue at the same post during the pendency of the investigation.

Appearing on behalf of the state government, senior advocate Raju informed the court that after pondering over the issue the government decided not to transfer the district magistrate of Hathras Praveen Kumar Laxkar for four reasons.

Firstly, the transfer of district magistrate has been made an issue by political parties with oblique motive to exert political pressure. Secondly, there is no question of the DM tampering with the evidence relevant to the investigation. Thirdly, security of the family is now in the hands of the CRPF with which the state government and its authorities have no concern.

Fourthly, the investigation (of Hathras case) is being conducted by the CBI and the state government has no role to play.

The government counsel also attempted to justify the cremation of the victim in the night by narrating the facts (of the case) and pointed out that the Hathras DM did not commit any wrong in this regard.

On September 14 last, the 19-year-old Dalit victim was raped by four persons in Hathras district when she had gone to the fields to collect fodder for cattle. She was partially paralysed in the attack.

As her condition deteriorated, she was moved to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital on September 28 and died in the early hours of September 29.

The court has fixed December 16 as next date of hearing.