Supreme Court tells Uttar Pradesh DGP to form SIT to probe minor's rape & murder

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Uttar Pradesh's Director General of Police to set up a special investigation team to probe the case of a four-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and killed in Ghaziabad last month.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi was hearing a plea filed by the victim's father seeking a court-monitored probe into the case, either by a special investigation team (SIT) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the police, submitted that a chargesheet has already been filed in the case.

She said the trial has also commenced. 

The court, however, noted that the victim's parents were dissatisfied with the probe conducted by the Ghaziabad police.

The bench said the SIT should be notified preferably on Friday or by 11 AM on Saturday, and it must consist of women police officers and be headed by an officer of the rank of commissioner or inspector general. The bench said that the SIT will examine all the grievances raised by the victim's parents and also investigate the role of two private hospitals that allegedly denied treatment to the victim.

The bench made it clear that the SIT will file its supplementary report before the concerned trial court within two weeks. 

The bench asked the trial court to keep the ongoing proceedings in the case in abeyance until then. 

On April 13, the court flagged the "reluctance" of Ghaziabad police in lodging an FIR and conducting an investigation into the case.