A few days back I expressed my views concerning Nirbhaya case which is dragging indefinitely (Boloji Blog article: Law and Justice). Today, that is 1^st of February, was the date set for hanging. I had expressed that there is uncertainty about the hanging taking place in that article. It did happen exactly that way. Hanging is kept on hold indefinitely. Two mercy petitions are still pending. The lawyers are free to take their own time for filing the petitions. The petitions need not be filed simultaneously. Lawyers and law experts only know the number of loopholes which can still be exploited.

Nirbhaya’s mother, Smt. Asha Devi was yet again in tears. It is difficult for us not to empathise with her. Her daughter will not come back. The only thing which will give peace of mind to Nirbhaya’s parents is justice in the form of execution of the four culprits.

This empathy appears to be totally lacking on the part of one of the convicts’ lawyers. In the court he pointed a finger at Asha Devi and told her that executions will never take place. Reading between the lines, the implication is that the lawyer knows the law thoroughly well and that he knows how to exploit the loopholes in order to get executions stalled. The lawyer has the professional obligation of protecting his clients’ interest. But in trying to ridicule the victim’s kin, that too being fully aware of the circumstances, he has crossed the limits of morality and decency.

On the whole in this sordid episode I am of the opinion that HUMAN DIGNITY has taken a beating. People’s faith in judiciary has got further eroded.