Thursday, 19 March 2020


PROTECTING CRIMINALS

It is fair and just that every convicts be given a chance to prove his innocence. However there is no time frame in judiciary system where in court can rule or order the convict to prove his innocence within certain time.

Lawyers, convicts and their family, some of whom have influence up to the highest office in the country, take advantage of this loophole in judiciary system. Jails in India are overcrowded with thousands of convicts whose case has not even filed in the court for number of years. Law enforcement unit of the country and the lawyers also play a significant role in such delay.

Crores of rupees are spent by the Government to house these convicts in jail. This is a waste of public funds because of negligence and technique of handful of people. In fact these are the people who hold the nation at ransom for their personal agenda.

Look at Nirbhaya case. She finally got justice after 8 years. Justice could have come earlier but the lawyers, the convicts and their family members took advantage of judiciary system and delayed the whole process. In fact Nirbhaya case has not just ended here. Supreme Court should now order the family of all four convicts to pay lodging and boarding cost of all convicts for eight years because of the delay in justice by their lawyers.

There are few suggestions I wish to make.

1.      Public prosecutor should be held responsible if his department fails to present the convict within certain time frame.

2.       Lawyers should also be held responsible if he is unable to present enough evidence to fast-track the justice within certain time frame.

3.       In case like Nirbhaya, once the convict are sentenced to death, they have a right to appeal to the President. However this option should not be open. There should be a time frame for appeal. If the convict fails to appeal within the time frame then the court should go ahead with the judgment.

4.       In case of brutal rape and murder, highest authority should always throw such appeal for mercy.

5.       Finally, family of convict of rape and murder should be asked to pay for all cost of boarding and lodging of convict in jail once proven guilty. If this clause is added then the family of convict will prefer their member be proven guilty rather than paying heavy fees to lawyers and again paying for cost of boarding and lodging in jail. With this new clause all rape and murder case will automatically be fast track.

6.       My humble request to Shri Narendra Modi to re-look at the entire judiciary system. Take stock of number of convicts in jail. Request the entire judiciary system to fast track on cases of those who are in jail for more than five years. Please do everything you can to reduce over population of jail. You are doing wonderful job. The whole world is with you. We know you can deliver this too.