Of Crimes and Courts and Commons

Of Crimes and Courts and Commons

And for a Saturday after a long hibernation, a few stray thoughts and a few general observations and a few points of view (some of it my own work and some as reported by media):

• Like this was one week where the pendulum of fate swung one way and then the other as far as Salman Khan was concerned. A week in which we Indians celebrated our confidence in Indian judiciary only to wonder if we were too premature in our celebration. 
• Like although I am sure Justice Abhay Thipsay, brother of Chess Grandmaster Pravin Thipsay, must have decided that Salman Khan deserved bail on basis of sound legal principles, but would it amount to  “contempt of court” if one were to ask how many bail applications are pending in his court? And if there are, why the differential treatment in this case?
• Like is aam Janata within its rights to seek data about average number of days taken by higher courts to hear appeals by the defence against judgements of lower courts? Or is that “contempt of court”too?
• Like why an eye witness of the crime, who could have best shed light on whether Salman had had a few pegs that night at the Rain Bar and whether he was indeed driving the vehicle, was not called to testify and allowed to leave the country?
• Like it is a great shame that an honest individual like Constable Ravindra Patil couldn’t get any support from his bosses in the Police Department and was hounded out not only from the Police force but effectively out of this world. And why shouldn’t his death be termed a culpable homicide and investigated as one?
• Like why do the same Police top brass bemoan “political interference” when it suits them while they fail to protect their subordinate staff from carrying out their duties diligently? 
• Like why is it that right from recording FIRs, recording testimonies and investigating and preparing cases, enough loopholes are kept so that even what should be an “open and shut case”, appears more like a sieve which can never hold water?
• Like why someone like Salman who is being projected in media as a kind-hearted individual, who undertakes a lot of charity work, hasn’t even bothered to help out those killed and maimed by a vehicle he was travelling in? There could be a number of ways such succour could have been given to the victims without Salman coming in picture.
• Like is the “ghost” driver Ashok Singh, who suddenly materialized during the last act, going to get his comeuppance for, what you and me feel in our guts, is plain wilful perjury with an aim to mislead the court?
• Like we should appoint singer Abhijeet the Minister and Housing for Poor and give him an additional charge as the Minister for Animal Welfare. I am sure he will solve all the problems expeditiously and rather permanently.      
• Like to sum it up, is the charade going to continue for another 10 -12 years in High Court and God knows how many more in Supreme Court till all its relevance is completely lost.
• Like Brits too can sometimes throw up surprises. When everyone was hung up on the “hung parliament” theory, the Conservatives were handed a thumping majority in the House of Commons. Maybe it was the effect of “aabki bar Cameron Sarkar”. Doubt if anyone from Modi camp would have ever imagined that their slogan would set the Thames on fire.
• Like are electorates generally getting fed up of coalition politics and wouldn’t mind offering majority mandates to parties who promise (and deliver) good governance?
• Like the Indian diaspora seems to be slowly taking over the law-making machinery of host countries. Wonder what odds is Ladbrokes offering that a PIO would become a head of US or UK before 2200 AD?
• Like while Tories are celebrating their victory, Labour seems to have lost whatever traction it had; a clear case of Labour’s Love Lost (with due apologies to the bard). So while election results have been a music to David Cameron’s ear, Ed Millibandka to poora band baj gaya.

LazyBee aka Shirish Potnis

9^th May 2015