Jessica Lal Case: Justice Abused

There is a common saying in Hindi movies, "Kanoon andha hota hai" (the law is blind), this sentence stands true to every word in reality too. We are all aware of the fact that the elite, especially in India are capable of getting away with murder.

On 29th April night, seven years ago, Jessica Lal, a model turned celebrity bar-tender was shot dead at the Tamarind Court. It was a newly opened bar in South Delhi then. She refused to serve drinks to a guest who landed up at 2 am, way after the bar closing time.

This unfortunate incident took place in a elite watering hole where most of the guests were VIPs, businessmen, top industrialists and celebrities who had showed up for the party thrown by Delhi socialite Bina Ramani and fashion designer Malini Ramani.

More than 100 people were present that night and most likely more than a handful had witnessed the murder of an innocent women.

However today, prime accused Manu Sharma, son of serving Haryana minister Vinod Sharma, walked free along with eight others after the additional Sessions Judge S L Bhayana said that there was no evidence against the accused and the prosecution had failed to prove its case.

The reasons cited by the judge behind the decision are :

The above reasons basically compelled the judge to let go of the accused and once again put forth the loopholes in our legal justice system. It showed the inefficiency and lack of credibility in our Police force and also how easy it is for the elite to purchase law.

To Jessica's family, the court's decision does not come as a shock. They lost all faith in the justice system the day Manu Sharma got out on bail.

Sabrina (Jessica's older sister) become well aware of the power of 'money'. According to her, the case became weaker and weaker after being dragged in Delhi courts for seven years. She believes that the accused had bought over the witnesses and investigators in the case and stated, "At every step, money was slipped. Witnesses turned hostile. The forensic report messed up the case and the murder weapon could not be recovered".

Jessica Lal's case like many other cases will never see justice being served. As always, the media and the public will forget, killers will continue to roam free. But for the families of such innocent victims the nightmare never ends. They will always be guilt ridden.

(picture taken from Indian Express)