In light of allegations of misconduct against Dhanalakshmi, special public prosecutor, Tiruvallur Mahila Court, her services have been terminated from October 16. Meanwhile, the Tiruvallur police have written to the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption to investigate into allegations of corruption against her.
A direction from Home Secretary Niranjan Mardi had ordered the termination. He also directed the Tiruvallur Collector to take all case files from her and give additional charge to a legal officer, till a new prosecutor is appointed.
Speaking of malpractices by Ms. Dhanalakshmi, Sherin Bosko, co-founder, Nakshtra Rape Crisis Centre, said in one of the POCSO cases, she had asked a minor survivor to marry the suspect or take money from him. In another case in which an 11-year-old girl was raped by her school headmaster in Ponneri, Ms. Bosko said Ms. Dhanalakshmi demanded the child’s parents drop the case after taking money. “Though the parents were not ready to turn hostile, the headmaster was acquitted,” said Ms. Bosko.
Meanwhile, child rights’ activists said such problems would end only when dedicated courts for POCSO cases are set up at the earliest.
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