‘Evildoers have been let off the hook due to lapse of time’

What’s your reaction to the Supreme Court judgment asking Maharashtra government to compensate families of missing persons and activating dormant cases?

At the outset, let me clarify, that I have only read news reports of the Supreme Court judgment.

It is said, ‘The wheels of justice turn slowly but grind exceedingly fine.’ That they move slowly is obvious; but in their anxiety to grind fine, what is forgotten is that the lifespan of human beings is limited. The apophthegm seems inappropriate while dealing with humans with limited lifespans, some of which have been cut short by deliberate actions of wrongdoers.

The order says it is too late now to go into the action (or lack of it) taken against the indicted policemen. Given that none of them were punished, this amounts to them getting away with acts that you felt were serious enough to merit punishment. Is the lapse of time enough reason for letting them get away? How do you think this would impact their victims?

Of late, the Supreme Court has stated in some judgments that it was too late to turn the clock back for declining relief. If this doctrine is really true, justice would be the prime casualty. If this doctrine prevails, all dishonest defendants and crooks would have a field day, as all they would need to do to avoid their just desserts would be to engineer delays in the hearings.

Yes, I agree that the judgment has easily let the evildoers off the hook on grounds of

lapse of time!

The police always get away during riots. What in your opinion is the best way to ensure action is taken against policemen indicted during communal riots?

The least that could have been done was to promptly gather material and put the offenders on trial and leave it to the courts. The inaction, unwillingness and inordinate delay have conspired to derail the train of justice.

Your Commission

Report inspired a lot of hope among the victims. But the struggle to get it implemented has left them hopeless. Does that disturb you?

The Commission’s job was over the day it submitted its report. It was not the Commission’s remit to initiate action on its recommendations.

Speaking personally, I believe in the exhortation of the Bhagavad Gita that I was required to do my duty honestly and leave the results to God. Thus viewed, there is no scope for any emotional setback to me.

Justice B N Srikrishna