‘We are of the considered view that an inquiry commission needs to be constituted. The inquiry to be completed in six months, the court stated. There should be an "impartial inquiry" into the encounter killings of the four men accused in the gangrape and murder of a veterinarian in Telangana, it said.
The bench was headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde, and also comprised of Justices S A Nazeer and Sanjiv Khanna.
The apex court was hearing two public interest litigations seeking an inquiry into the deaths of the accused in the Hyderabad rape case.
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The Telangana government justified the encounter, saying the accused snatched two firearms and shot at a police party.
There are "aspects of your (Telangana) version which needed an inquiry", the bench observed.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Telangana government, said no policemen received bullet injuries but got injured in the attack by the accused who were using stone and sticks.
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(with inputs from agencies)