3 min readNew DelhiApr 25, 2026 09:36 AM IST
The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Ghaziabad last month.
The child was found soaked in blood in a field after she was allegedly lured away by a neighbour on the pretext of buying chocolates on March 16.
A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi on Friday said the SIT should have “a woman police officer in the rank of Commissioner of Police/Inspector General of Police of Uttar Pradesh cadre but not having roots in the state, a woman officer in the rank of Superintendent of Police/Additional SP and, a lady Deputy SP or Inspector of Police”.
The probe team, the bench added, should “be notified preferably during the course of the day or in any case by 11 pm tomorrow” and that it take up the investigation without any delay, “that is, tomorrow itself”.
The SIT was also asked to conclude the investigation as early as possible, preferably within two weeks.
The court asked the team to “look into all the grievances raised on behalf of the victim-child’s parents, especially towards protection of vital witnesses” and “to investigate the role of private hospitals” which have been accused of negligence in not admitting the child.
“Necessary consequences shall follow depending on the outcome of the SIT investigation”, it added.
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The trial court hearing the case was asked to keep the proceedings in abeyance till a supplementary report is filed by the SIT.
“The allegations, including explanation/defence of private hospitals, shall be independently examined by the SIT,” it said.
Appearing for the plaintiff, Senior Advocate N Hariharan claimed that there was an attempt to shield the hospitals and that the police “dragged” the victim’s father to the magistrate for recording his statement under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
Appearing for the state government, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati said the chargesheet was already filed in the case and the trial court had taken cognisance against the main accused.
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Also, Justice Bagchi said if the victim’s father had any apprehension about private hospitals, he should have his own counsel in the trial court.
On April 10, the SC bench had directed the Ghaziabad Police Commissioner to appear with “all original reports” of the case, maintaining facts of the case “shocked its conscience”. The bench had also issued notices to the two hospitals, the Uttar Pradesh government and the station house officer (SHO) of the concerned police station.
“…Let a status report be filed… Commissioner of police, Ghaziabad, and SHO… shall remain personally present. Let notice be served on the private hospitals (which refused admission to the victim child). List the case on Monday,” the top court had ordered.
