Vet Rape Murder Case: SC Sends Disha Encounter Probe Report to Telangana High Court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court-appointed three member Commission of Inquiry submitted in its report that encounter of the four accused in the Disha’s gang-rape and murder was “stage”. It was also mentioned in the report the the accused in Hyderabad veterinarian’s gang-rape and murder were “deliberately fired upon with an intent to cause their death.”

The accused were deliberately fired upon with an intent to cause their death

Pointing out glaring lapses in the investigation, the Sirpurkar commission has recommended that 10 police officers be tried for murder in killing of four rape and murder accused which includes three minors. The panel found the police version untenable that the accused snatched a police pistol and tried to escape.  

Allegations of accused snatching weapons of police and then firing of them are false.

“In our considered opinion, the accused were deliberately fired upon with an intent to cause their death and with the knowledge that the firing would invariably result in the death of the deceased suspect,” the report said.

“We are of the opinion that at the relevant time, Jolu Shiva, Jolu Naveen, and Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu were minors,” it said.

The top court ordered sharing of the sealed cover report of a three-member inquiry commission on the encounter killings of four accused in a case of gang-rape and muder of a veterinaraian in Hyderabad. The apex court transferred the matter to the Telangana High Court for further action. 

A bench comprising Chief Justice NV Rama and Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli didn’t agree to the submission of senior advocate Shyam Divan that the report be kept in a sealed cover. The bench said, “this is related to the encounter case. There is nothing to keep here. The Commission has found someone guilty. We want to send the matter to the high court.”

#Breaking Hyderabad Encounter: Supreme Court appointed committee recommends that 10 police officers be tried for murder in killing of 4 rape and murder accused.

Committee says police version that accused snatched pistol and tried to escape unbelievable, not backed by evidence. pic.twitter.com/hkqKTTUrP7

— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) May 20, 2022

Two petitions were filed in the Supreme Court and an independent investigation was sought against the police officers concerned in the encounter case. According to the Telangana police version, the four accused were taken to the site of offence for the reconstruction of the scene of the crime as part of the investigation and in the process, the accused snatched the police pistol and attempted to escape and were killed in an exchange of fire. 

The four accused Mohammed Arif, Jollu Shiva, Jollu Naveen and Ch. Chennakesavulu were allegedly killed in an alleged ‘exhange of fire’ in the rape and muder of Disha at Chattanpally near Shadnagar on December 6, 2019. 

Also Read: Telangana HC Rejects Appeal Against TSPSC Order

The police had claimed the woman veterinarian of Hyderabad was kidnapped and sexually assaulted by the accused on November 27, 2019 and and later burned her body.