HYDERABAD: While refusing to fix a specific time frame for completing the probe by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the Seshachalam encounter incident, a division bench of the Hyderabad High Court on Monday directed the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) director to place the report of ballistic expert pertaining to the weapons used in the encounter by police officials as early as possible.
The bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B Bhosale and Justice S V Bhatt was dealing with petitions filed by Chilka Chandra Shekar of the Civil Liberties Committee and others seeking to register a case under Section 302 of IPC (Murder) against the police personnel involved in the encounter in which 20 alleged red sanders smugglers from Tamil Nadu were killed on April 7 this year at Seshachalam hill ranges in Chittoor district.
The petitioners expressed their lack of faith in the ongoing special investigation team and were seeking a CBI probe into the incident.
Special government pleader of AP Krishna Prakash said that they have furnished to the court the 41 names of the policemen who participated in the encounter and the SIT has already recorded their statements.
Vrinda Grower, counsel appearing for the families of the victims, and V Raghunath, counsel for Civil Liberties committee, said the SIT has failed to complete the probe within 60 days despite the court direction.
The government counsel submitted that in view of the allegations by petitioners suspecting the role of the state government in the encounter, it was not possible for the SIT to probe into all the aspects. Vrinda Grower said that the SIT has not taken any steps to identify the police officers involved in encounter despite the allegations that all the victims were tortured and killed after being picked up from a bus while they were on way to Tamil Nadu. She urged the court to appoint an independent prosecutor in the case.
Referring to the status report submitted before the court, the government counsel said they have placed all the details in the report, including the statements of three witnesses which are claimed to be crucial in the case. Besides, the weapons which are used in the encounter were also sent for the ballistic test and report is awaited.
The bench asked the investigation officer to take an independent decision in conducting an “Identification parade” to find out the police officers who participated in the encounter and posted the case to Sept 7 for hearing.
