Congress demands CBI probe into lawyer couple's killing in Telangana

Naveen S Garewal 
Tribune News Service 
Hyderabad, February 26

Opposition Congress met Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan on Friday to demand that the Central Bureau of Investigation take over investigations into the daylight murder of a lawyer couple —a development that adds pressure on the state government to act quickly.

State Congress president N.Uttam Kumar Reddy demanded a court-monitored investigation by the CBI into murders of Vaman Rao and Nagamani. The Congress claimed that the CBI probe became essential given the possible connection of some leaders of the ruling Telugu Rashtriya Samithi and police officials to the case, he said.

N. Uttam Kumar Reddy later alluded to the possible involvement of the sand mafia in the murder, and also accused Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) of not doing enough to enbsure an impartial investigation. This, he said, sends a message to the TRS leaders that they will be protected.

The Congress chief said that the deceased Vaman Rao and his wife Nagamani had filed several cases against the local TRS leaders involved in illegal sand mining and land grabbing. They also filed a case against the Manthani police officials for the custodial death of a Dalit, Seelam Rangaiah.