Madras High Court upholds conviction of 215 forest, revenue department officials in 1992 Vachathi rape case

The Madras High Court on Friday dismissed appeals filed by 215 convicts, including former personnel of Tamil Nadu's forest and revenue departments, in the 1992 case of rape and brutality against tribals in Vachathi village, Dharmapuri district..Justice P Velmurugan delivered the verdict on criminal appeals pending since 2011 against the punishment imposed on 215 convicts. The judge directed the sessions court to "immediately" take steps to secure the custody of all convicts. The Court also directed the State government to pay ₹10 lakh compensation to the 18 women who were raped by State officials. The families of three victims who had died following the incident must be paid additional compensation, the Court said. The State was ordered to recover 50 per cent of the compensation amount from those officials who were convicted and sentenced for the offence of rape in the case. .Welfare measures and provide job opportunities must also be extended to the families of the victims, and necessary steps must be taken to improve the quality of lives of the tribals living in Vachathi, the Court added..In February this year, the judge had reserved the verdict on the appeals preferred by 126 forest personnel, 84 police personnel and 5 revenue officials.After doing so, Justice Velmurugan had also visited the Vachathi village for a local inspection to “understand the topography of the area.”.On June 20, 1992, personnel from Tamil Nadu’s forest and revenue departments entered Vachathi, claiming to have received a tip that sandalwood was being illegally felled and smuggled in the area, and that the villagers were involved. The villagers claimed that the officials had vandalised homes, brutalised women and destroyed livestock.Days later, 18 women claimed to have been raped during the raid..In 1995, following a petition filed by the CPI(M), the Madras High Court transferred the probe in the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)..On September 29, 2011, almost 20 years after the incident, the trial court convicted 126 forest personnel, including four IFS officers, 84 police personnel and 5 revenue personnel.