Supreme Court may set up panel to probe Vikas Dubey encounter, petition filed by advocate Anoop Awasthi

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated it may probe the recent “encounter” of gangster Vikas Dubey, his aides as well as the killing of eight policemen in Uttar Pradesh.

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde heard a petition, filed by advocate Anoop Awasthi, seeking a probe by an independent agency such as a Special Investigation Team or the Central Bureau of Investigation or the National Investigation Agency into the deaths.

“We will do something very similar to the Hyderabad gangrape and murder case like forming a committee to probe the encounter,” said the CJI.


The Uttar Pradesh police had claimed that the gangster and his aides were killed in separate “encounters” when they were trying to flee police custody. The petition had alleged that the gangster was killed to prevent the deep-rooted criminal-politician nexus in the state.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing for the state, sought an opportunity to place the state’s views before the court. The bench allowed the state to place its views on the issue by Thursday.

The case will now be heard again on Monday.