SC to hear plea for CBI probe in UP rape, custodial death

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear next week a petition seeking a CBI probe into the alleged gang rape of a girl by a BJP legislator and others in Uttar Pradesh and the death of her father in police custody.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud fixed the date of hearing after advocate Manohar Lal Sharma mentioned the matter.

The petition sought the court's direction to the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe the alleged kidnapping and rape of the girl in July 2017 by Unnao MLA Kuldeep Singh Senger and others and custodial death of her father on April 9.

He 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."

The Uttar Pradesh Police has set up a Special Investigation Team to probe the matter and suspended six of its personnel for the custodial death.

Senger's brother Atul Singh and four of his aides -- Baua, Vineet, Shailu and Sonu -- have been arrested for beating up the girl's father to death.

The girl tried to set herself on fire outside the Chief Minister's residence on Sunday, claiming inaction. Later that day, her father was picked up by police and allegedly roughed up by Atul Singh and his aides after which he died.

--IANS

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