Hyderabad HC quizzes AP on Vakapalli victims' special public prosecutor

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Friday directed the AP government to convey to it by December 20 what steps it was taking to appoint a special public prosecutor and an assistant prosecutor in the Vakapalli gang rape case.

Justice M. Seetharama Murti was dealing with a petition by nine victims belonging to tribal community seeking a direction to the AP government to appoint the prosecutors to conduct trial pending against 13 policemen before the 11th additional district sessions judge cum special court under the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in Visakhapatnam.

Ms Vasudha Nagaraj, counsel for the petitioners, told the court that 11 tribal women of Vakapalli village in G Madugula mandal were allegedly gang-raped by 21 personnel of Greyhounds, the elite anti-naxal force of AP, on August 20, 2007.

She submitted that of the 21 accused, eight names had been taken off from the case based on the order of the Hyderabad High Court granted in 2012.

She said court that 13 accused had approached the Supreme Court seeking the quashing of the case, but the apex court dismissed their plea in September this year and directed the trial court to complete the trial within six months.

Counsel contended that the SC, ST (POA) Act empowered the government to appoint an exclusive special public prosecutor and assistant prosecutor as desired by the victims to prosecute the accused.

Justice Murti sought the response from the AP counsel who sought time to get instructions. While directing the government to file a report explaining the action taken on the representation of the victims, the judge said “in view of the apex court order to complete the trial in six months, each day is crucial.”