Hyderabad encounter: SC orders probe under ex-apex court judge

Police at the site of the alleged encounter, where four accused in the rape and murder were shot dead, on December 6. Pic/PTI

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday appointed a three-member inquiry commission headed by former apex court judge V S Sirpurkar to inquire into the circumstances leading to the encounter killing of the four accused in the gang-rape and murder of a veterinarian in Telangana.

The commission, which also includes former Bombay High Court judge Rekha Sondur Baldota and ex-CBI director D R Karthikeyan, will submit its report to the Supreme Court in six months.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde stayed proceedings pending in the Telangana High Court and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in the case and sought an SIT report into the case, saying no other authority shall inquire into the matter pending before the commission of inquiry till further orders.

The top court said the six-month deadline for submission of the report by the commission shall start from the first day of the hearing and it shall have all the power under the Commission of Inquiry Act for conducting an inquiry into the December 6 encounter deaths.

The bench noted that 'conflicting versions about the incident demands an inquiry to uncover the facts.' The bench also took into account the submission made by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for the Telangana government that a Special Investigation Team of the state police headed by a police officer of the level of Commissioner of police was also investigating into the incident and would submit its report.

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