Hyderabad:
The Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Justice KG Balakrishnan has referred to the division bench of the Commission a petition seeking re-opening of all files related to alleged fake encounters in Kurnool and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh between 2000 and 2002, in which 19 persons were killed.
The review petition was filed by a Guntur-based lawyer and human rights advocate. The petition was filed before the NHRC in July 2002, seeking registration of murder cases against IPS officer PSR Anjaneyulu. The IPS officer was the Superintendent of Police of Kurnool and Guntur districts during the period.
At present Mr Anjaneyulu is the Inspector General of Police (Greyhounds) in Hyderabad.
Disposing of the original petition in November 2011, the NHRC held that 13, out of 19 cases (of encounter deaths) were "fake" and ordered the Andhra Pradesh government to pay compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the kin of the victims. However, no action has been recommended against Mr Anjaneyulu in any of the cases, though the petitioner prayed for booking of a case of culpable homicide.
One of the petitioners, Guntur-based lawyer and human rights advocate Bhuvanagiri Chandrasekhar met NHRC chairman Justice Balakrishnan in New Delhi on Monday and submitted a review petition seeking re-opening of all files and ordering registration of murder cases against Mr Anjaneyulu and his accomplices.
Ms Chandrasekhar also sought an investigation by the CBI into the cases.