Fact-finding team seeks CBI probe into Riyaz encounter

A fact-finding team comprising advocates and citizens has demanded a CBI inquiry into the police encounter of Sheikh Riyaz, accused of stabbing constable Pramod. They also seek a court-monitored SIT, forensic re-examination of evidence, and Rs 5 crore compensation for Riyaz’s family.

Hyderabad: A fact-finding team of advocates, citizens, and concerned residents that looked into the encounter of Riyaz, who was accused of stabbing a police constable Pramod on October 17, has demanded a CBI inquiry, registration of FIRs and investigation into the real culprits in Pramod’s murder, such as Asif and his accomplices, and custodial torture inflicted on Riyaz’s family.

The team also sought a court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) pending the CBI takeover to maintain momentum along with preservation and forensic analysis of critical evidence, including CDRs, CCTV footage from Vinayak Nagar, Government General Hospital, and Town-4 Police Station and a re-autopsy to check for pre-shooting torture injuries.

Apart from police protection for Riyaz’s family and all witnesses under the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018, the fact finding team demanded an interim compensation of Rs 5 crore to Riyaz’s family, along with a government job for Riyaz’s wife and full guarantees for the children’s education to help them rebuild their lives.

The team said the deceased Sheikh Riyaz was working as a recovery agent for multiple NBFCs that deal in two-wheeler loans. While his formal registration status with these companies needs confirmation through a proper investigation such as a CBI probe, his job involved recovering vehicles from people who defaulted on their loans in Nizamabad and the surrounding areas.

Riyaz only had minor and ordinary cases against him, these were mostly civil disputes that were twisted into criminal complaints by defaulters trying to avoid repayment. He never ran away from the police or the courts; instead, he always faced them directly, the team said.