In September 2020, the brutal rape and murder of a young woman in Hathras shocked the nation. Some 27 years earlier, another similar rape occurred. Both are mirror images in terms of the crime and legal implications.
The Supreme Court bench of Justices SA Bobde, AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian said: “There was an unfair reporting about this matter when it was adjourned on the previous occasion.”
The division bench of Justices Pritinker Diwaker and PK Srivastava issued notices to the central government, the State of Uttar Pradesh, Superintendent of Jail (District Jail, Mathura), and Prabal Pratap Singh (Sub-Inspector, PS Maant, Mathura - the Informant/ Complainant).
The Uttar Pradesh government will now take a decision by November 25 on the removal or retention of Praveen Kumar, the District Magistrate (DM) of Hathras.
The apex court has disapproved of the way in which the Shaheen Bagh protests took place and ruled that such agitations must be in designated areas alone and public spaces cannot be occupied indefinitely.
The arrest of a journalist en route to Hathras has unveiled the draconian features of the Act, under which anyone can be arrested for a period of six months without any proof of anti-national activities. It raises serious questions about violation of human rights.
The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the habeas corpus plea filed by the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) seeking the release of its Delhi unit secretary Siddique Kappan from the illegal detention of Uttar Pradesh Police by 4 weeks.
The death of a Dalit woman and the disposal of her body in Uttar Pradesh have shown a force that is brutal and insensitive. The best practices of civilised societies should be followed for people to trust the police again.