PRITAM SENGUPTA writes from New Delhi: Despite our claims to democracy—with equality thrown in for good measure—are there different strokes for different folks? And is Sanjay Dutt a good example of it?
His father Sunil Dutt‘s reputation is no doubt solid and beyond reproach. But Sanjay’s own troubled, dope-laden youth and his rehabilitation; his mother Nargis Dutt‘s long battle with cancer, his wife Richa‘s demise from it, and, in the end, the Munnabhai films all have lent an element of surreality to the life of the 48-year-old Bombay blasts’ convict.
In some, he evokes anger.
In many, he evokes sympathy, even pity, for all that he has gone through.
Even if you belong to the latter community, should he have been given a month-long bail because he is ‘yet’ to receive the copy of the judgment of Justice P.D. Kode?
In these days of sophisticated communication, how long does it take for a judgment copy to be composed, printed, faxed, emailed or couriered? Does it take more than a month? Have all the other convicts both, TADA/non-TADA, in the Bombay blasts’ case experienced similar delays in receiving their judgment copies, and thus availed of bail?
Why does law in the Sanjay Dutt case still appear to be onesided?
And why does it seem that there are different strokes for different folks?
How is “Sanju Baba” now visiting Vaishnodevi Temple with an official J&K car with police escort? And how are Justice Kode, the public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam, and even Supreme Court ‘silent’ on the subject?
Also read: Jarndyce and Jarndyce
All are equal before law. Some are more equal. If a person is poor and has no influence he has to undergo all the due legal procedures and get out. When a person has sufficient money, has lot of influence and the so-called public sympathy then in the name of security anything can be done. God, sees them all, and the ultimately victory …..Guess.
How many times have we have seen this poor, often pitied, so called secular, former drug addict, TADA accused, well known convict, good friend of underworld, macho person wielding a real AK47, good friend of family no. 1 in Congress Party – Khalnayak using his family’s influence over the Government to wriggle himself out of the mess he created most of the time? He and his father did not even hesitate to lick the a**e of Bal Thackery to ensure that Khalnayak was never troubled. So, getting a jeep with Government protection is nothing new. I can bet he would have walked through a road infested by Militants in Kashmir without a hair being touched – after all Militants don’t kill their bethren.
The second one in this article is just a Chimpanzee – nothing more than that. His response to any of the interview questions posed smacks of his attitude. No doubt he killed innocent animals and took fun in ensuring that he ran his car over street dwellers. To hear that he was reading a divine book in Jail was laughable to say the least. He must have been reading some pornographic book there for solace!!
Maybe we should stop the trial by media and trial by ‘public intuition’ and stick to the trial in the courts based on logical interpretation of the written laws.
Sanjay Dutt, Salman Khan are out on bail. That only reflects our judiciary system. The acts of the law needs to be revised. For every offence a person makes, and he gets acquitted by sub sections or gets bailed out, then why have law enforced. Since juidiciary is weak, people in india get away with punishment. The government must act and stop this.
Unfortunately our own politicians come under the legal screen, they themselves flaunt laws, so the filmstars can do too. Absolute power corrupts.We need to stop this. Instead of hosting reality shows like indian idol, star voice of india (musical shows), the TV channels should encourage some programs for the talented youth to participate on the social topics that are of growing concern.
Issues like corruption at all levels, education policies, ban on obscene films and advertisements, etc