Don't cremate body of Unnao gangrape victim's father, if not done already: HC

 Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday ordered that the body of the Unnao gang-rape victim’s father should not be cremated if already not done so. He had died on Monday in custody after his 18-year-old daughter had accused a BJP MLA, his brother and aides of raping her.

A bench of Chief Justice D B Bhosale and Justice Suneet Kumar passed the order taking cognizance of the gang-rape case in Uttar Pradesh on a letter to the court by senior lawyer Gopal Swaroop Chaturvedi detailing the incident.

“If the body has not been cremated, then it shall not be cremated,” the court said. Chaturvedi also demanded a fair investigation into the heinous crime and on the death of the victim’s father. The bench also sought the state government’s stand on the case while slating the matter for next hearing on April 12.

It also asked the advocate general or one of the additional advocate generals to remain present during the course of the hearing to apprise the court about the case and action being taken. There is no clarity as to whether the body of the deceased has already been cremated.

The police had on Tuesday arrested Atul Singh, brother of BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, in this connection. The Supreme Court will hear a plea for a CBI probe into the Unnao gang rape case next week.