Hyderabad: Social activists and advocates from the Concerned Citizens Forum demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the murder of Central Crime Station (CCS) constable E. Pramod Kumar and the alleged custodial killing of Sheikh Riyaz in Nizamabad. The activists said the encounter was staged to conceal a larger counterfeit currency racket operating in the district.
Activists allege cover-up in Nizamabad killings
At a press meet held at Basheerbagh Press Club on Friday, members of the fact-finding team — including Sarah Mathews, Khalida Parveen, Mohammad Abdul Taj, Advocate Sameer Ali, and Shaikh Sikandar Firasath — presented their findings. They alleged major discrepancies in the police version of both killings.
The team said Pramod was off-duty on October 17 and had gone out to attend a medical emergency when a senior officer called him to locate Riyaz. Activists questioned why the police sent an unarmed, off-duty constable without backup to intercept a suspected criminal.
They also pointed out the absence of eyewitnesses despite the murder occurring near a busy juice and dry fruits shop. Although police claimed to have CCTV footage from the area, activists said the visuals were unclear and failed to show the actual attack.
Allegations of counterfeit racket and police bribe links
According to the activists, Riyaz had found ₹3 lakh in counterfeit currency inside a vehicle recovered from Asif, a loan defaulter. They said Riyaz used part of the fake money to buy a white Burgman scooter and laundered the rest using digital payment apps.
Pramod reportedly got involved as a mediator in alleged police negotiations for bribe money from Riyaz. The activists claimed the bribe demand started at ₹3 lakh and later settled at ₹1 lakh. They alleged that during the negotiations, Asif’s group attacked Riyaz, and Pramod was killed — either by accident or to silence him.
The committee said wound patterns on Pramod’s body showed he was struck with a sharp metal object. They claimed the attackers later dumped his body on Vinayak Nagar Road after he died from blood loss.
Riyaz’s alleged custodial killing and torture claims
The fact-finding report rejected the police claim that Riyaz died in an encounter after hiding inside a damaged lorry. Activists alleged that police had taken him into custody, tortured him, and later shot his body to stage an encounter.
Riyaz’s family members reportedly told the team that his hands and legs were broken and his neck fractured before his death. Activists questioned how he could have snatched a revolver, as police claimed, given his injuries.
They also alleged that police tortured Riyaz’s mother, wife, and children to extract his location — subjecting them to physical and sexual abuse. The family’s phones were seized, and one remains in police custody.
Demand for CBI probe and justice for family
The activists demanded FIRs under sections related to custodial murder, assault on modesty, and extortion. They sought ₹5 crore compensation for Riyaz’s family, a government job for his wife, and protection for the family members.
They also demanded a re-postmortem of Riyaz’s body to verify the torture claims. The committee said Riyaz had planned to leave for Hyderabad for a new job the day he was killed.
Sarah Mathews compared the case to the 2015 Alair encounter, accusing the Congress government of repeating past mistakes. She criticised what she described as sectarian politics and the lack of accountability in the Home Department.
The activists concluded that only a CBI investigation could uncover the alleged links between the counterfeit currency racket, the murder of constable Pramod, and the custodial death of Riyaz.