Hathras case: CBI files charge sheet, invokes gang-rape, murder charges against four accused

The Hathras rape case has seen nationwide uproar and protests

The CBI on Friday filed its charge sheet against four accused in the alleged gangrape and murder case of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras, officials said.

The agency invoked charges of gangrape and murder against Sandeep, Luvkush, Ravi and Ramu and the local court in Hathras has taken cognisance, lawyer for the accused told reporters outside the court.

The Dalit woman was allegedly raped by four upper-caste men in Hathras on September 14. She died on September 29 at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital during treatment.

The victim was cremated in the dead of the night near her home on September 30. Her family alleged they were forced by the local police to hurriedly conduct her last rites. Local police officers, however, said the cremation was carried out "as per the wishes of the family".

The agency has looked into the role of accused Sandeep, Luvkush, Ravi and Ramu who are in judicial custody, officials said.

They were also put through different forensic tests at the Forensic Science Laboratory in Gandhinagar, they said.

The CBI investigators had also met doctors at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, where the victim was treated after the alleged gangrape on September 14, they said.

The Yogi Adityanath Government had faced a lot of flak for the case which was later transferred to the CBI.

The CBI had constituted a team to probe the incident and handed over the probe to its Ghaziabad unit.

The team has already recorded statements of family members of the victim.