NRI Perspective Of The Arayan Saga

SATYAMEVA JAYATE – LET THE TRUTH PREVAIL

By Rajendar Dichpally

Just consider this scenario. A 23-year-old man is being shifted from court to court and incarcerated for a crime that has not even been proven. He has been treated like a hard-core criminal, a history-sheeter, confined to custody, and denied bail for 22 days. Yes, I am talking about the young lad Aryan Khan whose only crime (not proved conclusively) was that he had consumed a minuscule quantity of a particular drug.

If this logic was applied then probably scores of youngsters residing on our campuses and children of businessmen,  politicians, and other celebrities should also be put behind bars.

In Aryan’s defense the following unassailable arguments emerge:

1. No drugs were recovered from him
2. 2. Alleged WhatsApp chats  unconnected to the current case are being used as evidence. This logic is  absurd and a clear case of subversion of facts.
3. 3.  Even if  true, allegations pertain to ‘small quantity’ and ‘consumption’ only. And these ‘offences’ no way call for this kind of harsh punishment.
4. 4.  Aryan  has no criminal antecedents – his record is absolutely clean.
5. 5. There is no  likelihood of Aryan fleeing.

As per the above logic, there is absolutely no valid reason to deny the youngster bail. Can the dispensers of justice pause to think what kind of an impact this torture will have on the young man’s psyche. It will leave him scarred for life and make people doubt the efficacy and neutrality of the judicial system in our country. Indian law believes in the dictum that a person is innocent till proven guilty.  In Aryan’s case, he is being treated as guilty till proven innocent.

Why this gross travesty of justice? Contrast Aryan’s case with that of Ashish Sharma. Ashish,  the Minister of State for  Home Ajay Sharma’s son mowed down 8 innocent farmers who were protesting peacefully in broad daylight and bolted. He has not been brought to justice despite a nationwide furor and clinching evidence. In our country, it is always a case of different strokes for different folks!

I would also like to point out the reaction of  Aryan’s family. They have behaved with such dignity. Shah Rukh Khan could have created a media frenzy using his superstar status. But he has set an example of grace even in the face of the toughest crisis impacting his family. Aryan himself has behaved in an impeccable manner. Often, as per our judicial system,  people in custody are ‘given’ some kind of benefit for good behavior. Shouldn’t Aryan at least be given bail on the condition he will report regularly to the authorities?

Shouldn’t a youngster be united with his family after undergoing torture for so long? Or should he be punished because his father is a superstar with a mind of his own?

Our country has always believed in the dictum ‘Satyamev Jayate’. Should this glorious ethos be allowed to be further sullied by the powers that be whose hands are tainted by the blood of the innocents in their quest for votes and their lust for power?

source https://nrinews24x7.com/nri-perspective-of-the-arayan-saga/

October 25, 2021