The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it proposes to appoint a retired apex court judge to conduct an inquiry into the Hyderabad ‘encounter’ involving four persons allegedly accused in the rape and murder of a veterinarian.
Chief Justice SA Bobde said the court had initially asked former Supreme Court judge PV Reddi but he had declined to be involved in this inquiry. The apex court emphasised on an independent inquiry into the matter.
The Telangana government said it has complied with an earlier apex court judgment which laid down guidelines in encounter cases.
The apex court also asked the state to propose the name of a former judge and said it will conduct a further hearing in the matter on Thursday.
The apex court earlier agreed to hear a petition against the Hyderabad encounter. A bench headed by the Chief Justice said it will also examine what is being monitored by the Telangana High Court.
The petition filed by two lawyers on Saturday seeks registration of FIR against cops and an independent probe into the matter, where four accused, in the rape and murder of the veterinarian in Hyderabad, were allegedly killed in an encounter.
Petitioners GS Mani and Pradeep Kumar Yadav seek directions for the registration of an FIR against the cops and then an investigation by CBI, SIT, CID, or team of police officials from other states to conduct the probe into the encounter.
The petition urged the apex court that an independent investigation agency must be directed in accordance with the guidelines laid down in connection with an investigation (the PUCL vs State of Maharashtra) in fake encounter killing.
The petition alleges that it was a stage-managed encounter to shield the alleged lapses committed by police which led to the commission of the gruesome offense of rape and murder.