LUCKNOW: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court expressed displeasure over the Uttar Pradesh government's approach towards rehabilitation and relocation of the family of the Hathras rape and murder victim.
It also directed the state government to relocate the family to Ghaziabad or Noida within three months.
The division bench comprising Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Jaspreet Singh observed on Monday that the court had earlier directed the state government to consider relocating the victim’s family to Ghaziabad or Noida, but the dispensation did not give due consideration to the request.
Instead, the state had offered the family the option of choosing Kasganj, Etah or Aligarh for rehabilitation. The court held that this did not amount to compliance with its earlier order.
Quashing the government order, the bench said that the February 22, 2025, decision did not even mention the family’s request for rehabilitation in Ghaziabad or Noida.
“Therefore, it cannot be treated as a decision taken in compliance with the High Court’s directions,” the court observed, adding that there appeared to be unnecessary resistance on the part of the state and that its approach lent credence to the family’s contention that the government was treating the proceedings as adversarial litigation.
Appearing for the victim’s family, advocate Mahmood Pracha submitted that Kasganj, Etah and Aligarh were close to Hathras and the family’s safety could be in danger if it was relocated to one of those districts.
He said that the family did not have any relatives in these districts.
In contrast, their relatives reside in Ghaziabad and Noida, where relocation would enable them to lead a normal life without fear.
The court directed that once the rehabilitation is completed, employment must be provided to one family member, as mentioned in its July 26, 2022, order.
The bench also directed the additional chief secretary (Home) to file a compliance affidavit.
In case of non-compliance, he would have to appear personally before the court on November 30, the bench said.