The Allahabad High Court has granted the Uttar Pradesh government an additional six weeks to decide on the transfer and rehabilitation of the family of the Hathras gangrape and murder victim. The government is expected to determine whether the family should be relocated to Ghaziabad or Gautam Buddh Nagar and inform the court accordingly.
A division bench comprising Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Jaspreet Singh extended the timeline after being informed that the victim’s family had submitted an application to the state government on December 2, 2024. Previously, the state had been directed in November 2024 to make a decision by January 8, 2025. However, on January 8, state counsel requested a two-month extension, citing a meeting held on December 31, 2024.
The court was also informed that administrative challenges, including the transfer of the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and the ongoing Kumbh Mela, had delayed the decision-making process. Advocate Mehmood Pracha, representing the victim’s family, opposed the extension request and urged the court to direct the government to provide the family with a house in Ghaziabad or Gautam Buddh Nagar without further delay.
Finding the request for additional time reasonable, the court granted six more weeks to the state government. The bench scheduled the next hearing for February 24, 2025, and stated in its order:
“We are of the opinion that reasonable time should be provided to the state government to consider the victim family’s request. Accordingly, we grant six weeks for this purpose.”
Notably, nearly two and a half years ago, the High Court had directed the government to consider relocating the family outside Hathras but within the state, keeping in mind their social and economic rehabilitation and the educational needs of the children.
The directive was issued in connection with a 2020 suo motu case examining the right to a dignified burial or cremation. The case stemmed from the late-night cremation of the 19-year-old Dalit victim on September 29-30, 2020, which appeared to have been conducted against the wishes of her family following her brutal gangrape.
