With National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) ordering the ‘reopening’ of a case of fake encounters against senior IPS Officer P S R Anjaneyulu, skeletons are expected to tumble out of the closet of Andhra Pradesh police .
NHRC Chairman Justice K Balakrishnan referred to the division bench of the Commission a petition seeking re-opening of all files related to alleged fake encounters in Kurnool and Guntur districts between 2000 and 2002, in which 19 persons were killed. One of the petitioners, Guntur-based lawyer and human rights activist Bhuvanagiri Chandrasekhar, met Justice Balakrishnan in New Delhi on Monday and submitted a review petition seeking re-opening of all files and ordering registration of murder cases against Anjaneyulu and his accomplices.
The 1992 batch IPS officer Anjaneyulu, popularly known as ‘engine’ for his “fast moves” has been in news during his tenure as Commissioner of Police of Vijayawada when he was accused of sending lewd SMS to a married woman who had gone to him seeking protection from a stalker and rowdy sheeter. The then DGP Aravind Rao had to order a probe and also transfer Anjaneyulu out of Vijayawada.
Chandrasekhar also sought an investigation by the CBI into the 19 cases which occurred during 2001-2 (13 in Kurnool and six in Guntur district ) during Anjaneyulu’s term as SP.
Of the 19 cases, 13 were identified as fake and only one was considered by the NHRC as ‘real encounter’ in which three prisoners were killed.
In 2011, the NHRC disposed a similar petition but held that 13 out of 19 cases (of encounter deaths) were "fake" and ordered the Andhra Pradesh government to pay compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the victims. However, no action was recommended against Anjaneyulu in any of the cases, though the petitioner prayed for booking of a case of culpable homicide against him.
Anjaneyulu had escaped penal action even after the NHRC found clinching evidence against his team for killing 13 people in fake encounters.
The NHRC chairman ordered the division bench headed by Justice B C Patel and Justice Satyabrata Pal, which had given the previous verdict, to hear the fresh petition.
The petitioner said all the killings were named encounters even as Anjaneyulu went on to become DIG and IG in the last decade and presently is IG, Greyhounds commandos despite facing several charges.
“The NHRC guidelines clearly mandate that all fake encounters be booked under sections 302 (murder) and 201 (suppression of evidence) of IPC” the petitioner noted.