Hyderabad rape-murder case: SC grants 6-month extension to panel probing encounter

New Delhi, July 25: The Supreme Court has granted extension of investigation by six more months to the commission constituted to inquire into the encounter of four men accused of raping and killing a veterinary surgeon in Hyderabad on December 6.

According to reports, the Supreme Court had set up a three-member commission, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice VS Sirpurkar on December 12, following a petition which contended that the encounter was fake. The apex court had originally given the Commission six months from the date on which it started the inquiry to submit its report.

However, the work of the commission could not proceed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and it approached the top court, seeking more time to complete its investigation and submit a report.

On Friday, the application came up before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, which allowed the six months' extension.

A lawyer who is also a petitioner in the matter told the Supreme Court that such incidents of custodial deaths were also happening in states like Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh and sought orders to curb this.