Triumphing the legal corridors

Legal expert G Vyjayanthi in a candid interview talks about her rise to the top, waging battle against corrupt

Courage, it has been said, is not the absence of fear but triumph over it. The ultimate triumph across all cultures and civilisations, all times and strata is the triumph of truth over evil, of right over wrong.

Going by the rule book, studying a subject in depth, drafting notes without ambiguity and remaining unperturbed by pressure, are attributes that define her personality. Nerves of steel and faith in the divine have kept her afloat during many a crisis.

Soft-spoken but firm, traditional in her attire but modern in her outlook, unruffled by criticism, G Vyjayanthi, Additional Director of Prosecutions and Director of Prosecutions (Full Additional Charge), Telangana, brings a quiet dignity to the post as the first woman in the Telugu States to be entrusted with this responsibility.

Her rise to the top has by no means been easy as she admits having locked horns with the mighty and powerful, where being on the right side of law gave her infinite courage. “I know from experience that it is difficult to stand by your principles. There are threats, chances of false cases being foisted and every attempt to break your courage but if you are on the side of dharma, the ultimate victory is yours. No one can take it away,” she avers.

Beginning her legal career as a junior to an established advocate Ramachandra Reddy, Vyjayanthi dealt with a variety of criminal cases during this stint. As she gained experience in the different aspects of jurisprudence, she decided to work as a public prosecutor and began her innings with her first posting at the Ranga Reddy court.

As she moved ahead in her career she was presented with an opportunity to take up the cause of the police force due to her promotion to the CID department. “The success of a case depends heavily on the manner in which it is presented. This became clear to me as I could see that even in cases were an in-depth investigation was conducted, there were several lacunae in presentation,” she says.

Several cases of economic offences involving the Charminar bank, Krishi Bank, Margadarsi Chit Funds and the International Multilevel marketing firm Amway were handled by her with attention to detail and perfect finesse.

One of the most difficult cases that she handled related to that of false medical bills presented by the then ruling party MLA Yerneni Raja Ravichandar, where a perfect investigation by the CID was presented with foolproof evidence. The pressure by the then ruling party MLA, who kept visiting her knowing full well that she was the prosecutor in the case was intended to embarrass her.

When her repeated pleas that he should stop visiting her office went in vain she decided to act and reported the matter to the court. Aware that she could not be cowed down by political pressure the government took recourse to issuing a government order (GO) to wriggle out of the situation.

“I complied with the GO, as I was after all a government servant but presented the case in a manner that made it clear to the court that it was under duress. The case was dismissed and I was transferred but moved out with a clear conscience. I received support from several bureaucrats who admired the fact that I held my nerve and I was back soon in the reckoning,” she laughs recalling the stress that she was subjected to during the entire episode.

“We need to do a lot to raise the esteem of the public prosecutors and ensure that they get their rightful recognition in society. I am organising regular workshops every Saturday to upgrade their skills, ensure that they increase their legal knowledge and enhance their public speaking skills. A special logo and a uniform with blue blazers is part of our image building exercise.

We will be a confident group ensuring that government cases are strengthened by effective prosecution,” says Vyjayanthi who is determined to infuse dynamism into the system. She is aware that there are many challenges under the present scheme of things where they do not even have own premises but is confident that things will fall in place once a beginning is made.

How did she develop this courage and moral strength? “My father who was a bureaucrat and served in different parts of the Telugu states is a huge source of inspiration. He was a sincere officer who ingrained in all us six sisters the need, to be honest, courageous and fearless. To this date he advises me and guides me about how I should act in a particular situation,” says Vyjayanthi.

She also received great support from her husband G Panduranga Reddy, who runs the Sree Datta group of educational institutions in the city and believes that one can achieve success through merit and proper conduct. A lover of classical music and dance Vyjayanthi learnt Carnatic music from guru Seethamahalakshmi while she was at Vijayawada.

“There is a deep significance to all the rituals in our culture and observing them with reverence has been a part of my daily routine. I am surprised when people ask me how I find the time to do this, given the hectic nature of my work. My answer is, that when you have the interest, you will automatically make time for it,” she replies.