Telangana HC refuses urgent hearing in Shaik Riyaz ‘encounter’

The Telangana High Court declined an urgent hearing in a PIL seeking suo motu cognisance of the alleged police encounter that killed Shaik Riyaz in Nizamabad. The petitioner, advocate Barkat Ali Khan, called for an independent probe citing inconsistencies in the official account and possible rights violations.

By Legal Correspondent

Hyderabad: Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh and Justice G.M. Mohiuddin of the Telangana High Court on Thursday declined an urgent hearing in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking suo motu cognizance of the recent police encounter in Nizamabad and directed the petitioner to follow the prescribed procedure by approaching the court registry.

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The PIL, filed by advocate Barkat Ali Khan, urged the High Court to order an independent probe into the death of Shaik Riyaz, a 24-year-old vehicle theft suspect who was killed in an alleged police encounter at the Nizamabad Government General Hospital on Monday.

Riyaz had earlier been accused of fatally stabbing constable A. E. Pramod. When the matter was mentioned for urgent hearing, the Bench observed that due procedure must be followed.

“You give it to the registry; it will be processed through the committee as per procedure,” Chief Justice Singh said.

The petitioner contended that the circumstances surrounding the encounter raised serious concerns about compliance with legal and constitutional safeguards, alleging possible violation of fundamental rights. He sought an inquiry headed by a retired High Court judge and requested that the Nizamabad police be made a respondent in the case.

The PIL referred to inconsistencies in the official version of events, pointing out that Riyaz, who was reportedly under treatment for severe injuries, was said to have attempted to snatch a service weapon from a constable, leading to the shooting.

The plea argued that this account was contradictory and called for judicial scrutiny. Invoking Supreme Court guidelines and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) framework governing encounter deaths, the petitioner asserted that an independent investigation was necessary to ensure transparency and accountability.