Alair encounter report soon, but no RTI information.

Times of India: Syed Mohammad : Hyderabad : Thursday, April 27, 2017.

In what may come as some relief to families of those killed in the alleged encounter at Alair, police have officially said that the investigation is nearing completion and a report on the subject will be finalised and filed soon.

The Cyberabad police was responding to one of several questions, including the status of the investigation, asked by MA Akram, an Old City-based right to information (RTI) activist .

The police, however, citing section 8 (h) of the RTI Act of 2000, declined to provide copies of documents that are part of the investigation. The section permits the investigation agencies not to give information provided that they are of the opinion that investigation could be derailed.

"The information requested by you cannot be furnished as laid down in section 8 (h) of the RTI Act as this information would impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders," an excerpt from the reply reads. For instance, the activist requested the cops to provide a copy of the investigation report.

He also requested that cops share documents provided to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which is probing the encounter by local police stations. This too was denied by officials.

The cops clarified that the probe is not time-bound. "The exact time required for completion of the investigation cannot be specified," another excerpt reads. Speaking to TOI, the activist said that he had filed the query for research purposes. "It has been two years since the encounter. I wanted to know the status of the inquiry," he said.

It was on April 7 in 2015 that five under-trail prisoners were gunned down in the encounter. The victims included Viqar Ahmed, alleged to have killed a cop, and others. On the second anniversary of the encounter, the kin of the under-trial prisoners reiterated their demand of a Central Bureau of Investigation probe. Viqar's father, Mohammed Ahmed, said that he had no faith in the Special Investigation Team probe. "The investigation should have have been completed and the report should have been submitted a long time ago," he said.