The Supreme Court on Friday extended by six months the term of a three-member commission set up to probe the encounter deaths of four persons accused in the gang rape and murder of a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad.

In December 2019, the top court had appointed the panel headed by Justice VS Sirpurkar and comprising former Bombay HC Judge RP Soundarbaldota and former CBI Director DR Kaarthikeyan as members to conduct the inquiry within six months.

The court order had come on two PILs filed by advocates GS Mani and Mukesh Kumar Sharma.

Accused Mohammed Arif, Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu, Jolu Shiva, and Jollu Naveen were arrested after the gang rape and murder of the veterinary doctor in November 2019. Police said the accused were killed in an encounter on December 6, 2019, as they tried to flee during collection of evidence at the spot.

A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde and comprising Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian on Friday extended the commission’s term by another six months.

The commission had said in July 2020 that it could not complete the probe due to the nationwide lockdown imposed in March to contain the spread of coronavirus. The commission said its members were unable to carry out spot inspection and hold an open hearing ahead of preparing a report on its investigations.