ADILABAD: In a major setback to the state government, the Adilabad special court for SC/ST cases, on Thursday dismissed the lower court order and allowed trial into the encounter of Maoist Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad and journalist Hemchandra Pandey, who were killed in an encounter in July 2010 in Sarkepally forest in Wankidi mandal, now in Kumrambheem Asifabad district. Special court of SC/ST judge Bharata Laxmi issued summons to 29 police officers involved in the incident.
The order was passed on the revised petition filed by K Padma and Babita, wives of slain Maoist Azad and Hemchandra Pandey respectively. Their counsel V Raghunath and D Suresh said 29 policemen involved in the encounter would now face trial in the court. Raghunath also said that the governments must give a free hand to the CBI to probe the case.
Padma, who was present in the court, expressed hope that they would get justice. The encounter was held in Sarkapelli forest area of Wankidi mandal on July 2, 2010 in united Andhra Pradesh state. The CBI conducted an enquiry and submitted a final report in 2012 stating that it was a genuine encounter. Swamy Agnivesh and others approached the Supreme Court and on the direction of the apex court, a revision petition was filed in the district court where the incident happened.The first class magistrate, after hearing the arguments, dismissed the orders in March 2015. Against the first class magistrate orders, the petitioners approached the Special court of SC/STs and on Thursday the court issued orders to allow the trial.