Telangana government had opposed setting up of a commission of inquiry headed by a former judge of the top court, saying that it would be a parallel probe. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday appointed a three-member commission headed by a former judge of the top court, Justice V.S. Sirpurkar, to probe into the encounter of four suspected accused in the gangrape and murder of a veterinary doctor.

Besides Justice Sirpurkar, other members of the commission include former judge of Bombay high court Justice Rekha Sundar Baldota and former CBI director D.R. Kaarthikeyan.

Directing the commission to submit its report within six months from the date of its first sitting, a bench of Chief Justice S. A. Bobde, Justice. Abdul Nazeer and Justice Sanjeev Khanna barred the high court and the National Human Rights Commission from initiating or proceedings with any probe already initiated into the encounter.

However, the court said that the investigation by the SIT set up by the Telangana government can go on.

Initially, the Telangana government had opposed setting up of a commission of inquiry headed by a former judge of the top court, saying that it would be a parallel probe.

“We don’t want to assume facts. This is a question of credibility. Why are you resisting an inquiry. We expect you to be more statesman like,” said CJI Bobde.

CJI Bobde said, “We are in favour of investigating this encounter. We want this encounter to be objectively investigated. We are of the considered view that there should be some inquiry. Let there be impartial inquiry.”