YCP MLC Thota Trimurthulu, who is named as party’s candidate in the present elections from Mandapeta assembly constituency, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1.50 lakh, in dalith beheading case by Visakhapatnam SC, ST Atrocities Court.
The sentence was imposed after 28 years of the incident and prolonged battle by dalits seeking justice from attacks on politically and socially influential persons.
Five Dalits were tortured and were beheaded. This incident took place on December 29, 1996, in Venkatayapalem village of Ramachandrapuram mandal of Konaseema district. At that time the main accusedThota Trimurhtulu was an independent MLA.
Dalits were so frightened even to report to the police immediately and even the media was silent. Only after a week, two journalists from Rajahmundry went to that village, met victims and highlighted their frightened environment.
While the investigation of this case continued for 28 years, it was postponed 148 times. Along with the Trimurthulu, 9 other accused were also charged. Among 24 witnesses, 12 died during the trial of the case.
Initially, Trimurthulu was three months in jail. But since then the case has been languishing in the courts. For the last seven years, a Special Court in Visakhapatnam conducted the trail. Though the judgement was expected to be delivered in 2018 itself, objections were raised on the SC status of two victims.
Due to political influence, both of them find it difficult to get SC certificate, till the intervention of the High Court. The main witness, Koti Raju, died a few days ago.
Trimurthulu changes several political parties. He had earlier contested as Praja Rajyam candidate, later contested as TDP candidate in 2014 and won as an MLA. After his defeat in 2019, he joined YCP and became MLC.
As the jail sentence is below two years, legal experts say now he can contest in assembly elections and he obtained bail from the court immediately after the verdict.