SC Transfers Telangana Lawyer Couple Murder Case to CBI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the transfer of the 2021 brutal murder case of a lawyer couple in Telangana’s Peddapalli district to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), citing the need for a deeper probe. The decision, delivered by a bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh, responds to a plea by Gattu Kishan Rao, father of the slain Gattu Vaman Rao, seeking a thorough investigation into the killing of his son and daughter-in-law, P V Nagamani.

On February 17, 2021, Vaman Rao and Nagamani, both practicing advocates in the Telangana High Court, were ambushed near a village in Ramagiri Mandal. Two assailants intercepted their car and attacked them with knives and other weapons, leaving the couple dead in a gruesome assault. Police reports indicate the attackers, traveling in another vehicle, fled the scene after the crime.

The couple was known for their public interest litigation (PIL) work, including a significant 2020 PIL addressing the alleged custodial death of a man at Manthani police station. After raising concerns about police harassment and threats following their letter to the court, which was converted into a PIL, the couple faced increasing hostility. Their legal activism also included filing multiple PILs on various public issues across courts, earning them both admiration and adversaries.

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Gattu Kishan Rao’s plea highlighted concerns over the initial police investigation, prompting the Supreme Court to entrust the CBI with uncovering the truth behind the targeted killing. The transfer underscores questions about local law enforcement’s handling of the case and potential links to the couple’s legal challenges against authorities. The CBI is now tasked with investigating the circumstances and motives behind this high-profile double murder.

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