HYDERABAD: Taking a serious view at AP government’s failure to take a decision with regard to appointment of special public prosecutor and assistant public prosecutor to try the Vakapalli gang rape case before the Special court at Visakhapatnam, the Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday issued an ultimatum to the state government directing it to take a decision on the issue by Jan 2 next year. If no decision was taken by the said date then the court would issue orders to the principal home secretary and district collector concerned to pay huge amount towards towards the petitioners’ expenses, the court cautioned.
Justice M Seetharama Murti was dealing with a petition by nine victim women of gang rape belonging to tribal community seeking to direct the AP government to appoint prosecutors to conduct the trial before the 11th additional district sessions judge cum special court under the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in Visakhapatnam against the 13 Greyhounds personnel of the elite anti-naxal force of AP.
On Aug 20, 2007, 11 tribal women of Vakapalli village in Nurmati panchayat of G. Madugula mandal in the agency area of Visakhapatnam district were allegedly gang raped by the 21 Greyhounds personnel. Out of the 21 accused eight names were deleted from the case following the High Court order in 2012. When the 13 accused approached the Supreme Court seeking to quash the case, their plea was dismissed in September this year with a direction to the trial court to complete the trial within six months.
Meanwhile, the victims made a representation to the authorities seeking to appoint SPP and APP to prosecute their case before the trial court. When there was no response from the concerned authorities they moved the high court contending that the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act empowers the state government to appoint an exclusive special and assistant public prosecutors so desired by the victims to prosecute the case.
On Wednesday, the counsel for AP submitted that the government has been examining the issue and sought the court to grant some more time for taking a decision. Reacting to this submission, the judge issued an ultimatum by directing the state government to take a decision on the said appointment by January 2.
High Court hits out
Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday issued an ultimatum to the state government directing it to take a decision on the issue by Jan 2 next year
If no decision was taken by the said date then the court would issue orders to the principal home secretary and district collector concerned to pay huge amount towards towards the petitioners’ expenses, the court cautioned