Telangana HC postpones hearing on Hyderabad encounter case petition

In a massive development, the Telangana High Court that was to hear the Hyderabad veterinary rape and murder accused encounter case on Wednesday, has posted the case for hearing for December 13. 

One of the main petitioners of the case is a woman activist Sandhya Rani. 

"Encounter case has been posted for tomorrow by High Court Chief Justice Bench till clarity comes from Supreme Court order. The court said the four bodies should be preserved till tomorrow at 2.30 pm," said Woman activist Sandhya Rani while speaking to ANI in Hyderabad.

READ | Cyberabad Police Submits Report To NHRC On Veterinarian, Encounter Deaths

The order from the judicature came hours after the Supreme Court bench led by CJI S A Bobde on Thursday, December 12, ordered a 3-member panel headed by retired SC judge V S Sipurkar to probe into the encounter by the Cyberabad police of the accused in the Disha rape case. 

The apex court has ordered the proceedings before both the Telangana High Court and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to be put under stay till further orders.

READ | Supreme Court Proposes Appointing Former SC Judge To Enquire Into Hyderabad Encounter

The panel headed by a former apex court judge V S Sirpurkar will be joined by former Bombay High Court judge Rekha S Baldota and former CBI director D R Karthikeyan.

Hyderabad Vet Rape Case Highlights

The veterinarian was gangraped and killed by four people before they burnt her body in Telangana's Shamshabad on November 27. Her charred body was recovered a day later.

A few days later, the accused -- Mohammed Arif, Naveen, Shiva, and Chennakeshavulu -- were killed in a police encounter while having been taken to the crime-scene.

READ | Supreme Court Orders 3-member Panel To Probe Hyderabad Encounter; Gives 6 Month Deadline

Lawyers on Monday, December 9, filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the encounter of the four rape and murder accused in Hyderabad. According to advocate GS Mani, "Our case is not supporting the rapists. We are totally against them. Our only question and worry are whether the four persons were involved in the rape crime." 

READ | Hyderabad: Lawyers Move Petition In SC Against Encounter Of The Four Accused