Interview with Adv. Mangesh S. Gangalwar, APP, Yavatmal – Maharashtra

Introduction:

Adv. Magesh Gangalwar is the Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor, Yavatmal – Maharashtra

Interviewer: Sir, introduce yourself to our viewers and what educational background you have?

I am Adv. Mangesh S. Gangalwar and my educational background are B.Sc., LL.B, and LL.M. I also work as an Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor since 2014. I am also working as an Arbitrator of Multistate co-operative Society at Yavatmal. I did a lectureship at Amolakchand Law College, Yavatmal. I have been a practicing Advocate since 2000.

Interviewer: Please tell us about your Journey from being a law student to a stage where you are a Public Prosecutor?

I completed my LLB in the year 2000 and thereafter did my LL.M and practice in Civil, Criminal, Co-operative, Revenue, Charity Commissioner Court at Yavatmal and Amravati. In the year 2014, I got an opportunity to serve the State of Maharashtra at Yavatmal District and Sessions Court as an Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor.

Interviewer: What are your professional objectives for a Prosecutor? 

The role of a Public Prosecutor is a very responsible job and the prosecutor has to work for the general public at large who are sufferers and victims. My efforts and object are to put the case of the State to get Justice to the Victim and to make hard efforts for the same. Being the Public Prosecutor, I have to balance the victim, witnesses and to keep the victim and witnesses safe and to put their case before the Court according to the charge sheet, and to state true facts before the Court of law.

Interviewer: What are the hardships you face being a Public Prosecutor? What are the changes you observed in recent times in the law field as compared to when you started?

I found that the witnesses generally turn hostile and resile from their statement and it may be due to a long period of incident and commencement of Trial or due to fear of the accused or relatives. Further, the Prosecutor has to face hardship while refreshing the memory of the witnesses. Due to the long duration of the incident and commencement of trial, the witnesses and the victim lost their interest and the Police are also not keeping watch on the witnesses and the accused. When I started the work of Public Prosecutor in the year 2004and in recent time I found that the witnesses are not properly supporting to the prosecution.

Interviewer: How do you deal with tough people (people who think law can be manipulated easily) around you in the Court of law?

Many people think that they can manipulate law easily in the Court of law. They thought that if they turn victim and witnesses hostile or resile from their statement then they can easily be acquitted from the cases, but I found that when a Public Prosecutor places his case properly in the Court of law and if Court is satisfied with the evidence of prosecution then the accused can be convinced so the person must know that law cannot be manipulated easily.

Interviewer: What is the toughest case you have worked on?

A case u/s 302,120-B of I.P.C. against 12 people was conducted and 8 people were convicted for life imprisonment and 4 were acquitted. The appeal against the order of the session’s court of Yavatmal is pending before the Hon’ble High Court of Bombay, Bench of Nagpur. In this case, the accused committed murder and also caused injury to another person. The point of identification of the accused and seizure of weapon was the toughest points to prove before the court. The person in whose house the murder was committed was not supporting to identify an accused person. So yes this is one of the toughest cases I worked on.

Interviewer: Having a high-pressure job, how do you balance personal and professional life?

Yes, it is a high-pressure job. The Public Prosecutor has to satisfy the victim, witnesses, police, and court of law. When trying the case of State then the prosecutor has to act according to the responsibilities and the personal life has to be kept aside. Having a supportive family around you makes the pressure to keep the balance between the professional and personal life makes it easy.

Interviewer: What changes do you wish to see to be brought in the Indian Legal system? 

According to my, changes in the Indian Legal System are required such as the case of the State should be finished within 2 to 3 months after filing of the charge sheet so that the victim and witnesses can help the state properly and the accused should not get the time to put pressure and tamper prosecution witnesses.

Interviewer: Lastly, Being a Public prosecutor what message would you like to give to young budding lawyers? One advice or suggestion you would like to people who wish to study law?

The only message I like to give is that the job of Public Prosecutor is very responsible and the young budding lawyers should study hard the law and try to take responsibility of serving the state and should be in touch with the latest development of law and act honestly as the society and public at large have faith and trust in advocates. Through the Public Prosecutor victim can get justice as the prosecutor tries cases as per the law and considering the mental and physical condition of the witnesses. So upcoming lawyers and students who wish to study law should study to serve the people and should not be behind money only.

Interviewer: Thank you so much for this valuable interview with you sir, and also educating us about the responsibilities and challenges Public Prosecutors face during his/her career.