Hyderabad, May 21
In a major setback to Andhra Pradesh police, the CBI has registered a criminal case against the state police officials over the alleged fake encounter killing of top Maoist leader Azad alias Cherukuri Rajkumar and freelance journalist Hemchandra Pandey in July last year.

The case was registered following directions from the Supreme Court that heard petitions from social activist Swami Agnivesh and Pandey’s wife Bineeta Pandey. The petitioners had alleged that Azad and Pandey were caught in Nagpur and shot dead in cold blood Adilabad district of AP.

The CBI registered the case under Sections 120-B and 302 (criminal conspiracy and murder) of the IPC against the circle inspector of Asifabad; sub-inspector of Thandur; reserve SI, AR headquarters, Bellampally; Civil and AR Special Party police officers and others, the CBI Joint Director VV Lakshmi Narayana said. The killing of Azad had triggered widespread public outrage.