Allahabad HC Questions 'Unnecessary Resistance' by UP Govt to Relocating Family of Hathras Victim
New Delhi: The Allahabad high court on Monday (August 24) observed that that despite its earlier order directing the state to consider relocating the family of the 2020 Hathras gangrape and murder victim, the state government had not “properly considered” the family’s request for relocation, reported LiveLaw.
"There appears to be an unnecessary resistance by the State to a consideration as was ordered by us vide our order dated 26.09.2024, 14.11.2024 and 08.01.2025,” observed a bench of Justices Rajan Roy and Jaspreet Singh on Monday.
The high court on Monday directed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state to rehabilitate and relocate the family of the Hathras gang rape and murder victim to Ghaziabad or Noida within three months.
"We accordingly set aside the decision dated 22.02.2025 and direct the State Government to rehabilitate and relocate the victim's family in Ghaziabad or Noida, as the case may be, positively within three months,” said the court.
The court also held that the state government’s February 2025 decision offering the family rehabilitation at Kasganj, Etah or Aligarh, did not consider their request for relocation to Ghaziabad or Noida and was therefore "no decision in the eyes of law".
While directing the state to relocate the victim’s family, the court also said that the compliance affidavit has to be filed by the additional chief secretary (Home), Government of Uttar Pradesh, and warned that he would have to appear personally if the direction was not complied with.
On July 26, 2022 the high court had directed the state government to consider relocating the family to another place within Uttar Pradesh, outside Hathras, keeping in mind their social and economic rehabilitation and the educational needs of the children.
The court also directed on Monday that following the rehabilitation, employment to one of the family members, as directed in its July 26, 2022 order, should also be provided.
Back in 2020, the Hathras gangrape and murder case had caused nationwide outrage.
The Wire had earlier reported in 2024 that even two years after the Allahabad high court had directed the Uttar Pradesh government to rehabilitate the victim’s family, the state government had not abided by the court order.
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