HYDERABAD: In a significant development in the sensational two-decade-old ‘Dalits tonsure’ case involving TDP MLA Thota Thrimurthulu, the High Court on Wednesday issued orders restraining the trial court at Visakhapatnam from pronouncing its judgment in the case on Thursday. Justice SV Bhatt, while dealing with a petition filed by Koti China Raju, one of the victims, seeking stay of all further proceedings in the case pending before 11th additional district and sessions court and special sessions judge for SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act at Visakhapatnam, made it clear to the trial court not to deliver its verdict until further orders.
As for the case, the accused allegedly summoned the victims, and insulted them in the name of caste and also tonsured their heads and removed eyebrows. The case was transferred to Visakhapatnam court in 2008 for the safety of witnesses. In 2015, the High Court directed that trial in the case be expedited.
On Wednesday, senior counsel A Satya Prasad, appearing for the petitioner, said that the special public prosecutor had not placed the caste certificates of the victims before the trial court in spite of the orders passed by the High Court. Failure to place the above certificates as evidence before court was because of political pressure.
When the counsel for the accused MLA was about to place his arguments, the petitioner’s counsel took an objection saying that the MLA was not a respondent in the present case. Taking the senior counsel’s submission into consideration, justice Bhatt issued orders, restraining the trial court from pronouncing its judgment.While adjourning the case to December 20, the judge directed the respondent authorities to file their counter affidavits.