Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Delayed verdict

The verdict of the Patna District and Sessions Court, sentencing a former MP and two former MLAs to death for lynching Gopalganj District Magistrate G. Krishnaiah 13 years ago, though delayed, is befitting. The judgment came at the end of a long fight for justice. Heinous acts of vigilantism in recent months bear testimony to the lawlessness and anarchy prevailing in Bihar even today. High rate of illiteracy and avaricious politicians have proved to be the bane of the State. One can only hope that it will see better times in future.

B.V. Kumar,

The judgment is another case of justice delayed. Even the most stringent punishment fails to provide relief to the victims when it is given 13 years after a crime is committed. It is clear that the judgment for all its symbolism of truth-and-justice-finally-prevailing is not final. The legal options available to Anand Mohan and others once again bring to the fore the need for speedy justice. It is time our criminal justice system was overhauled to make it more responsive to the needs of the people.

Shahabuddin Nadeem,

It is too early to say that justice has prevailed in the Krishnaiah murder case. There are many obstacles to seeking justice, from lack of evidence to hostile witnesses. Our laws are outdated and courts overburdened. Police apathy is another serious flaw in the system. The need of the hour is to find ways of expediting justice so that the common man does not have to wait endlessly or adopt the ‘Bihari’ style of justice.

Inamdar Ramchandra,

The criminal-politician nexus is a cause for serious concern. Well-meaning but half-hearted efforts at electoral reforms, meant to keep criminals out of politics, have not succeeded, thanks to the legal loopholes. It is in this context that the work of the courageous officials who succeeded in bringing the guilty to book in Krishnaiah’s case deserves to be lauded. Hopefully, the sentence will have a salutary effect on other criminals in the guise of politicians.

J. Akshay,

Better late than never. The judgment should serve as a lesson to politicians who use their influence on the masses to achieve their selfish ends. It has proved that no one is above the law. It will go a long way in breaking the nexus between criminals and politicians.

T. Marx,

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