India - Slain Maoist Azad’s wife names Chidambaram as conspirator

Padma had recorded the sworn statement in pursuance of filing of a murder case against the policemen who had participated in the encounter, which also saw the killing of journalist Hemchandra Pandey. K. Padma, wife of slain Maoist Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad, on Wednesday named former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and four top police officers from Andhra Pradesh as conspirators in the alleged fake encounter killing of the extremist leader on July 2, 2010 in Adilabad district.
In her statement recorded before Adilabad Judicial First Class Magistrate Mary Danamma, the petitioner pleaded for inclusion of the names of the then AP Director General of Police R.R. Girish Kumar, then SIB DIG Shashidhar Reddy, then Adilabad Superintendent of Police P. Promod Kumar and Additional SP (Operations) S. Tripathi besides the Home Minister. Padma had recorded the sworn statement in pursuance of filing of a murder case against the policemen who had participated in the encounter which also saw the killing of journalist Hemchandra Pandey. The latter’s wife Babita had recorded her statement on November 29, last year.
The Magistrate subsequently posted for further evidence on February 7 for taking cognizance of the petition. Swamy Agnivesh, who has been cited as a witness, is likely to record his statement before the Magistrate on that day.