Azad encounter: Court orders probe into role of policemen

Adilabad court chief judge MR Suneetha pronounced the verdict, ordering a Munsif court to investigate into the role of policemen who took part in the encounter.

Adilabad: An Adilabad court, which was hearing the case relating to the alleged fake encounter of Maoist party’s spokesperson Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad and journalist Hemachandra Pandey ordered another court to probe into the role of policemen involved in the incident within three months. The court gave its judgement on Tuesday.

District court chief judge MR Suneetha pronounced the verdict, ordering a Munsif court to investigate into the role of policemen who took part in the encounter. She set a deadline of three months to initiate the investigation, Raheem, a lawyer of defence counsel told pressmen. The court began hearing the case a few months back, he added.

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In July, the High court sent back the case to the district court when the policemen moved it after challenging an order, citing taking cognisance of the alleged crime against police personnel without hearing them was illegal. Maoist top leader Azad, Pandey, were killed in an alleged exchange of fire that occurred between a band of Maoist party and police at Sankepalli village in Asifabad mandal on July 1 of 2010.

In 2015, the Supreme Court directed the magistrate of the district court to allow the protest petition when family members of the slain Maoist and the journalist moved it. But, a lower court rejected the petition. The petitioners then approached the High Court which in turn ordered the district court to hear the case with regard to the encounter.

The district court issued an order setting aside the orders of the lower court taking cognizance of the crime against police personnel.

As per direction of the SC, the CBI had investigated into the sensational killing of the duo and submitted a report, stating the encounter to be genuine in 2010. But, members of Human rights bodies and wives of Azad and Pandey raised doubts over the veracity of the incident.