SC gives panel 6 more months to file report

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave another six months to a three-member inquiry commission, headed by former apex court judge V S Sirpurkar, to finalise its report on the circumstances leading to the encounter killing of four accused in the gang rape and murder of a veterinarian in Hyderabad in 2019.

A bench, headed by Chief Justice of India N V Ramana, however, expressed displeasure at the pendency of the judicial inquiry which was initiated in December 2019. “Why is this matter going on and on? This can be done in three to four months. Is it necessary to inquire 130-140 witnesses?” the bench, which also included justice Surya Kant, asked.

On a request by commission’s lawyer K Parameshwar, the bench pointed out that another commission, headed by former top court judge B S Chauhan, to look into the encounter killing of Uttar Pradesh gangster Vikas Dubey in July 2020 had already concluded its inquiry and submitted a report. “Why is this then taking so much time?” the court asked.

Parameshwar, on his part, replied that the inquiry could not be completed due to the Covid-19 pandemic that stopped the commission from conducting physical hearings and examining witnesses in person.

Reluctantly, the bench gave another extension to the commission for the third time. The previous two extensions of six months each were granted in July 2020 and January 2021.

The panel, which also comprised retired Bombay high court judge Rekha Baldota and former Central Bureau of Investigation director DR Karthikeyan, was initially directed in December 2019 to wrap up its inquiry in six months.

Mohammed Arif, Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu, Jolu Shiva and Jollu Naveen, who were arrested in connection with the rape and murder of the 27-yearold veterinarian in Hyderabad on November 27, 2019, were shot dead in an alleged encounter at the site of the offence in Hyderabad a month later.

THE TERM OF THE INQUIRY PANEL HAS BEEN EXTENDED THRICE. IT WAS EXTENDED IN JULY 2020 FIRST TIME