Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Knocking at the doors of the NHRC and Haryana Governor Babu Parmanand, Krishna Devi, the surviving widow of the Samalakha triple murder case who lost one member each from her three generations, has pleaded that the state government be barred from releasing one of the four accused in the case.
The state Cabinet, at its meeting on July 18, had decided to grant remission to four convicts on humanitarian grounds. The decision was sent to the Governor for his assent but he sent it back without his stamp, much to the embarrassment of the Chautala government. Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala has gone on record defending the Cabinet decision, saying it was well within the purview of the government.
Krishna Devi, an aggrieved widow, mother and daughter-in-law, has contested the claims of the convict, alleging that the grounds for granting remission were flimsy and in contravention of the Supreme Court judgment on life imprisonment. Her husband Dinesh Kumar, father-in-law Suraj Bhan and 22 year son Yogesh alias Tappu were killed in a fierce family feud over landed property in Samalakha on May 5, 1982.
In a representation to the NHRC, Krishna Devi has said the decision of the government is not arbitrary but makes a mockery of justice which the suffering party had received after the prolonged legal battle that spanned 13-14 years. She claimed the plea of the convicts extended for early release of one of them, is far removed from propriety. ‘‘The elder brothers of the convicts, aged more than 50 years, are living outside and are looking after their old mother. Also, their children are healthy and can support the family. Therefore, the plea taken by the accused is baseless and constitutes misappropriation of facts,’’ she said in her representation.
The convicts, she said, have sought the release of one of them to take care of their old mother. The representation also accused the convicts of threatening the family with dire consequences during the time of their parole. ‘‘They had come out turn by turn on parole and had threatened the suffering party that they will manage their release shortly due to their influence on the Chautala government,’’ said the representation.
She has demanded that the Haryana government be stopped from flouting the Supreme Court norms regarding life imprisonment and the victim’s kin should not be victimised further by releasing the convicts.
