Plea in SC for probe into 4 Hyd rape accused killings

Two advocates on Saturday approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to conduct an independent probe into “fake encounter” killings of four accused in sensational rape and murder case of a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad on Friday.

Maintaining that no one, including the police, has a right to punish any accused without due process of law, advocates G S Mani and Pradeep Kumar Yadav contended that if this type of activities was allowed, there would be no meaning of civilized societies and there would be no hope that we all were governed by rule of law.

In a PIL filed jointly, the petitioners sought a probe either by the CBI or the Special Investigation Team against the police officers, including V C Sajjanar, IPS, Cyberabad police commissioner, who have “killed the four accused in the early morning hours only to satisfy the larger public anguish or might have killed them to protect the real culprit”.

The petitioners alleged such fake encounter killing was conducted only to divert the public reaction over sensational gang rape and murder cases against innocent young girls.

“This is very serious and painful. It is not only impermissible under the rule of law but such fake encounter killing amounts to pre-planned murders at the hands of police official with the help public support,” they said.

The advocate-petitioner said it was only due to the utter failure of the local police on November 28, 2019, the victim, a veterinarian doctor, in the Telangana was raped and murdered.

“There is a clear chance of destroying the evidence available against the police officers, involved in the fake encounter killing, therefore, the court may restrain them from respective official duties, till the disposal of the this case and till the completion of the independent investigation,” they said, seeking hearing on the PIL on an urgent basis.