The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to relocate and rehabilitate the family of the 19-year-old woman who was allegedly gang-raped and murdered in Hathras in 2020.
The court has given the state three months to shift the family to either Ghaziabad or Noida and ordered the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to submit a compliance affidavit.
State told to complete relocation in 3 months
A division bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Jaspreet Singh issued the direction while hearing a PIL concerning the case.
“We, therefore, see no reason to grant any further time to the State for reconsideration of the matter. We accordingly set aside the decision dated 22.02.2025 and direct the State Government to rehabilitate and relocate the victim’s family in Ghaziabad or Noida, as the case may be, positively within three months. A compliance affidavit shall be filed by none other than the Additional Chief Secretary, (Home) Government of UP, Lucknow,” the court ordered.
The court also warned that the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) would have to appear personally if its directions were not followed.
“In case the order is not complied, the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Government of UP, Lucknow shall appear before this Court on the next date,” the court directed.
The matter has been listed for November 30, 2026.
Court rejects earlier rehabilitation decision
The latest order follows the state government’s February 22, 2025 decision, which had offered the family rehabilitation in Kasganj, Etah or Aligarh.
The court noted that the decision did not address the family’s request to be relocated to Ghaziabad or Gautam Buddh Nagar. It had earlier asked the state to reconsider the matter and subsequently received an affidavit attaching its decision.
The court found that the government had not properly considered the family’s request and described its approach as showing “unnecessary resistance” to earlier directions.
Hathras case
The case concerns the alleged gang rape and murder of the 19-year-old woman on September 14, 2020. The Allahabad High Court had taken suo motu cognisance of the matter in October that year.
During the proceedings, the court had also noted the family’s concerns over rehabilitation and relocation. The latest order now requires the state to complete the process in Ghaziabad or Noida within the specified three-month period.