‘Rowdy-sheeter’ prosecutor removed in Pocso case

BENGALURU: The government has removed a special public prosecutor (SPP) appointed in a molestation and sexual harassment case under provisions of the Pocso Act, after it received a complaint that he was facing several criminal cases and had a history sheet against him in a police station.
On March 17, the home department withdrew its July 1 notification, appointing Sudhakar as SPP in special case (Spl.CC) no. 188/2017, pending before the 50th additional city civil and sessions court.
In February, Vinod Dasan had filed a complaint before the home minister and the director of prosecutions and government litigation, alleging that the SPP himself was a historysheeter.
The case in which he was the SPP pertains to molestation, assault and sexual harassment under the Pocso Act against five persons for misbehaving with girls of a school on January 10, 2015. Cubbon Park police registered a case and later dropped the charges against two of the accused. The charges under the Pocso Act were also dropped in the chargesheet. The court, however, invoked the charges under Pocso on submissions from the SPP, who pointed out that the victims were minors.
The fresh notification has also directed the public prosecutor of the 50th additional city civil and session court to appear before the court on behalf of the government in the case.
A history sheet had been opened against Sudhakar on January 1, 2012 by Pulikeshi Nagar police. According to the cops, there were nine cases against Sudhakar; he was acquitted in three and proceedings against him were dropped in the fourth case.