SC appointed panel submits report on the encounter of four accused in Hyderabad veterinarian's rape-murder

The Justice Sirpurkar commission has submitted its report to the Supreme Court last week.

The extended term of the commission, probing the police “encounter killing” of the four men accused of rape and murder of a young veterinarian in Hyderabad in December 2019, was till Thursday.

The apex court had on December 12, 2019, appointed the commission under the chairmanship of Justice V S Sirpurkar, a former judge of the Supreme Court, to inquire into the circumstances in which four people – Md Arif, Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu, Jollu Shiva and Jollu Naveen, who were accused in the crime, were killed on Hyderabad outskirts while in the police custody.

The incident took place a few days after the rape and murder of the veterinarian, given the name Disha to conceal her identity, which shocked the nation.

The SC ordered the probe after some activists, advocates questioned the police action.

While Justice Sirpurkar commission's first sitting took place on February 3, 2020, the later proceedings were impeded by the Covid-19 pandemic. On August 3 last year, the panel was given another extension of six months to submit its report.

The commission of inquiry, officials said, collected various documents including investigation records, forensic, post mortem reports, photos, videos etc from the incident scene. It held hearings for 47 days over four months – August to November 2021, during which it recorded the evidence of 57 witnesses.

Oral arguments in the case were held from November 16 to 26 and the commission also inspected the places connected to the incident like the "encounter" site on December 5– on the eve of the second anniversary of the sensational shootout.

The report was submitted before the apex court on January 28.

“The report is in two volumes – the main study and supporting documents etc as annexures. Our work is finished; it is now up to the Supreme Court as to when the further hearing will be held,” a key official of the commission, which was operating from the premises of the Telangana high court, told DH.

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