Metropolitan Sessions Judge (Vijayawada) K S Appa Rao has directed Vijayawada Police Commissioner N V Surender Babu, Assistant Commissioner of Police D Ram Reddy and three other police officers to surrender before the third metropolitan magistrate within four court working days.

The judge also directed Magistrate D Venkata Ramana, who had earlier issued non-bailable warrants against the five police officials, to release Babu and other police personnel on bail on the execution of security bonds of Rs 5,000 along with two sureties each.

The metropolitan sessions judge had rejected the anticipatory bail plea of the police officials, who have been charged with murder in a case relating to the shooting down of a history-sheeter inside a police station in Vijayawada in July last year.

"Though the petitioner (Surender Babu) is a police official, a non-bailable warrant is pending against him. Therefore, I see no grounds to grant anticipatory bail," the judge said in his order on Thursday.