CBI investigation into alleged ‘abduction’ of UP Dalit lady ordered by Allahabad High Court in 2021
A CBI investigation into the suspected kidnapping of a married Dalit lady, 25, from her parents’ home in the Fatehpur area of Uttar Pradesh in 2021 has been mandated by the Allahabad High Court.
In this regard, three members of a higher caste were taken into custody. The mother of the victim, Ritu Devi, Kalawati, filed a habeas corpus case, which prompted the HC ruling. The court voiced its displeasure with the state authorities, pointing out that in spite of their repeated requests for extensions, they were unable to identify the victim.
The CBI is instructed to look into the issue and provide a report by the next listing date, the court said. Let the case be scheduled for a hearing before the relevant court on August 21, 2024.
Following their 2019 marriage, Ritu and Sumit Kumar were living together. A few days before to her purported kidnapping, she paid a visit to her parents’ house in Dalabarakhera hamlet. On February 23, 2021, a neighbor by the name of Happy Singh brought his sister along, according to her brother Vikas. When we asked Happy Singh, who we saw a few days later, where Ritu was, he mistreated and threatened us. We then learned that Sanjay Singh, their uncle, and Happy’s cousin Rahi Singh were implicated. The accused are powerful members of the Thakur community, according to Vikas.
The family said that challenges were encountered in their attempts to file a formal complaint against the accused.
Kalawati approached the state SC/ST Commission and the Fatehpur SP for assistance, but no formal complaint was made. On March 15, 2021, a missing report was submitted after the filing of a complaint on the state government’s site. at 2021, Kalawati then filed a habeas corpus petition at the HC. “The victim remained untraceable while the police arrested Sanjay Singh, Happy Singh, and Rahi Singh,” said her attorney Shivakant Singh. Sanjay Singh was let free after receiving bail.
A court appeal was also filed claiming that Sanjay Singh’s name was purposefully left out of the FIR as an accused by the police.
