NEW DELHI/PEDDAPALLI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the CBI to investigate the 2021 killing of a lawyer couple in Peddapalli district.
The murder of practising lawyers Gattu Vaman Rao and PV Nagamani took place on February 17, 2021, when two assailants intercepted their car near a village in Ramagiri mandal and attacked them with knives and other weapons.
A two-judge bench comprising Justice MM Sundresh and Justice N Kotiswar Singh issued the order after hearing a petition filed by Rao’s father, Gattu Kishan Rao, seeking a CBI probe into the murder of his son and daughter-in-law.
The incident occurred at Kalvacherla on the Peddapalli–Manthani highway. The couple were attacked while returning after attending a court case in Manthani.
7 accused in case out on bail
Seven people were arrested in connection with the case — Kunta Srinivas, Sevanthula Chiranjeevi, Akkapaka Kumar, Thulasigari Srinivas alias Bittu Srinu, Udari Laxman alias Lachaiah, Veldi Vasantha Rao and Kapu Anil. All are currently out on bail. The case is pending before the Peddapalli court.
Meanwhile, IT Minister D Sridhar Babu welcomed the Supreme Court’s order, stating that the decision reinforced public trust in the justice system. He said justice would only be delivered if the actual perpetrators and any officials from the previous government who supported them were punished. He criticised the previous BRS government for not taking the matter seriously despite the murders taking place on a main road in Manthani.
Advocate Shashibushan Katche from Manthani also welcomed the order, expressing hope that a CBI probe would uncover the full facts of the case.