TN: For Allegedly Asking Minor Rape Victim To Lie In Court, Govt Lawyer Terminated

The Tamil Nadu Home Department has sacked advocate Chitra Devi from the post of the Special Public Prosecutor in the Mahila Court for her attempts to save accuse in child rape cases. In Perambalur district of Tamil Nadu, the government has found her guilty for tutoring minor rape victims and turning them hostile in court.

As per the termination order, in the last month alone 10 cases disposed of by the Mahila Court in Perambalur ended with the acquittal of the accused, said The News Minute report. According to the Superintendent of Police, the victims had turned hostile in all such cases.

What had happened?

The termination order came after the case of 17-year-old Shanti, who was allegedly raped and forced into marriage, turned hostile when the case went to the court for hearing a year later. Reportedly, the girl failed to recall the event, allegedly because of the phone call that she received a day before the hearing. The phone call recorded the conversation between the minor and G Chitradevi, revealed that Shanti was told to lie in the court. She was asked to deny the rape and not listen to the what police say and claim that she did not know the accused.
In 16 minute conversation, the Special Public Prosecutor can be heard saying that the girl needs to say as she instructs her. She also calls the rape as “love affair” and tells her to deny that she has ever seen the accused or went to her place. The minor was advised to say in the court that she went to her relative place instead.

The woman reportedly also asked the minor the hide the fact she got ‘married’ on November 13 and was rescued on November 16. She goes on blaming and shaming the girl saying that it was her fault; she shouldn’t have gone to the accused’s house. “She should have known better,” said the report. The girl was also told by the women to marry the accused.

The Home Department confirmed this conversation between the lawyer and the minor and also revealed that Chitradevi had similarly tutored several other victims.

Tutored many victims before

“A close look into the above cases has further revealed that Tmt D Chitra, Special Public Prosecutor, Mahila Court, Perambalur was the main cause as she was tutoring the victims to be hostile and support the accused,” reads the order from Niranjan Mardi, Additional Chief Secretary reported The News Minute.

The order cited the recorded conversation as an example of the misconduct. The order explains that Special Public Prosecutor had shown sympathy towards the accused and tried to save him. She even went to the extent of purposing marriage suggestion between the victim and the accused. Due to her threats, the victim on the day of trial did not dispose properly and skipped the offence made out under the POSCO Act and said that she had acted as she was directed by the Special Public prosecutor.

Following the incident, the girl has lost faith in Special Public Prosecutor, said The District Superintendent of Police. She has demanded immediate action. Her request has been forwarded to the Government by the Perambalur Collector.

“The Government after careful examination of the proposal of the District Collector, Perambalur, have decided to accept it. Accordingly, the Government orders for the termination of Tmt D Chitra from the post of Special Public Prosecutor, Mahila Court, Perambalur, with immediate effect,” read the order.

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