HC for panel on Vakapally rapes

Six lawyers, three each from A.P., TS to be selected

A Division Bench of the Hyderabad High Court comprising Justice C.V. Nagarjuna Reddy and Justice G. Shyam Prasad on Thursday directed the Registrar-General of the High Court to prepare panel of six advocates from two States well acquainted with the criminal case trials, to function as special public prosecutor in the case against Greyhounds personnel, who are charged with outraging the modesty of tribal women at Vakapally tribal hamlet of Visakhapatnam, a decade ago.

Palla Trinadha Rao, whose name is favoured by the tribal women, will be counsel for the victims to assist the special prosecutor, the Bench proposed. The Bench was dealing with writ appeals filed by State government and the police who are facing trial.

Tribal women’s charge

The tribal women of Vakapally, who charged the Greyhounds personnel with molesting them in 2007, requested the authorities to appoint Mr. Trinath Rao as special public prosecutor. They said that he would be representing the prosecution in SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) case in Visakhaptnam court.

When the government did to respond, they approached the High Court. The single judge directed the officers to appoint Mr. Trinadha Rao as special prosecutor. The present two appeals are filed challenging the validity of this judgment. The Bench, which heard the case on Thursday, adjourned the case to next week.

Meanwhile the panel of six advocates (three from Telangana and three from A.P.) will be prepared. The Bench said that it would pass orders next week .