Hyderabad, March 24 (IANS): A Telangana court on Tuesday dismissed the petitions for a murder case against policemen involved in the alleged staged gunfight in which top Maoist Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad and journalist Hemchandra Pandey were killed.

Judicial First Class Magistrate in Adilabad district dismissed the petitions filed by Azad's wife K. Padma and Pandey's wife Babita.

Azad and Pandey were killed in an alleged gun battle with police in the Sarkeguda forests of Adilabad district of then undivided Andhra Pradesh on July 2, 2010.

Their families and human rights activists had termed the gunfight "staged" and claimed the duo were murdered in cold blood by police after being arrested in neighbouring Maharashtra.

Pandey's wife and social activist Swami Agnivesh had also moved the Supreme Court, seeking a comprehensive probe.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which probed the incident, concluded in its report in 2012 that the gunfight was genuine and gave a clean chit to Andhra Pradesh Police.

Meanwhile, Azad's wife said they would challenge Adilabad court order in the high court.

Azad, considered second in the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) hierarchy, was also spokesperson of the outlawed group.

He carried a reward of Rs.12 lakh on his head and was a member of the central committee and politburo of CPI-Maoist.