SC accepts petition for hearing seeking SSP Rao Anwar's judicial inquiry

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) Wednesday dismissed the objections of Registrar Office and ordered to fix the hearing on the petition related to the judicial inquiry of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rao Anwar’s alleged police encounters.

Rao is also allegedly involved in the Naqeebullah murder case.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Azmat Saeed heard the case seeking judicial inquiry of 444 extra judicial murders by the SSP Rao.

The counsel of the petitioner Faisal Siddiqui said Rao had set a record by taking part in 444 encounters.

The top court had taken suo motu notice of Rao Anwar’s four encounters while 440 other judicial murders also appeared during the investigation, he added.

Justice Azmat Saeed said it would have been better if he had approached the federal government first and then the high court.

The counsel said the Supreme Court had taken notice of the incident earlier and should be involved directly.

According to the report of investigation committee of Sindh police, SSP Rao Anwar remained deputed at the Malir district for seven years during which 745 police encounters took place and 444 suspects were killed. Allegations of land grabbing, extortion and several others had also been leveled against Rao Anwar.

Justice Azmat Saeed said the court would examine the matter of judicial inquiry before it the counsel would have to convince the court about acceptability of the case.