CBI files charge sheet in Hathras case; 'Satyameva Jayate' says Priyanka Gandhi

Hathras case: The CBI filed the charge sheet before a special SC/ST court in Lucknow.

Lucknow: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday (December 18) filed a charge sheet against four accused before a special court here in connection with the murder and alleged gang-rape of a 19-year-old Dalit woman from Hathras district. The charge sheet was filed before a special SC/ST court in Lucknow. 

In a reaction to the filing of charge sheet, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, General Secretary of Congress, tweeted in Hindi, "On one side, there was government-protected injustice. The family, on the other hand, looked forward to justice. The victim's body was burnt forcibly, and there were attempts to spoil the victim's image. The family too was threatened. Eventually, the truth prevailed, Satyameva Jayate."

एक तरफ सरकार सरंक्षित अन्याय था।
दूसरी तरफ परिवार की न्याय की आस थी।

पीड़िता का शव जबरदस्ती जला दिया गया। पीड़िता को बदनाम करने की कोशिशें हुईं। परिवार को धमकाया गया।

लेकिन अंततः सत्य की जीत हुई।

सत्यमेव जयते#HathrasCase pic.twitter.com/X4qD0BVjjs — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) December 18, 2020

Aradhana Mishra, Congress MLA from Rampur Khas of Pratapgarh district in Uttar Pradesh, said, "The way that daughter was forcefully cremated in the dark of night and an attempt was also made to take this entire development in a different direction. How the police dealt harshly with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi when reached there for justice to the daughter of Hathras. Truth cannot be defeated it is proved."

After the charge sheet was filed against the four accused in the Hathras case, Bhagirath Singh Solanki, brother of the victim, expressed satisfaction over the CBI investigation, while the victim's sister-in-law demanded the removal of the District Magistrate. Their advocate, Bhagirath Singh Solanki, also expressed hope that the victim's would get justice.

On December 16, the CBI had submitted before the Allahabad High Court that a charge sheet will be filed by December 18 in the matter. The charge sheet was filed under Sections 302 (murder), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

The CBI also submitted that it will take the Hathras victim`s brother, who had registered the FIR in the matter, to Gujarat for a psychological assessment. The CBI had taken up the investigation in the matter on October 11. 

Over 50 people were questioned in the case including the family members of the victim. The CBI also conducted brain mapping of all four accused persons.

The 19-year-old had succumbed to her injuries at Delhi`s Safdarjung Hospital on September 29 after being assaulted and allegedly gang-raped in Uttar Pradesh`s Hathras on September 14.

The victim's body was cremated by the Uttar Pradesh Police and the administration allegedly without the consent or the presence of the victim`s family.

The Supreme Court had directed that the Allahabad High Court will monitor the probe, being conducted by the CBI into the Hathras case.