Mr. Mohammed Abdur Rahim Quruishi, President, All India Majlis-e-Tameer-e-Millat, Hyderabad in a press note issued yesterday reviewed the judgment pronounced by Ms. Jyotsana Yagnik, Judge of the Special Court of Ahmedabad said that it is a historic judgment from various aspects. It is the Judgment, which is the first of its kind in the history of the judiciary of this country.
Normally, whenever such judgments are pronounced, it is stated that all the punishments would run concurrently. For example, if a culprit is given punishment in one case for ten years and 18 years in another case, in the orders of the judge, it is mentioned that both these punishments will run concurrently. It means that the total duration of imprisonment would be only 18 years. For the first time, this judge ordered that after the completion of the punishment period of the first case, the duration of punishment of the second case would start. In this way, Ms. Maya Kondnani will have to stay in jail for a total period of 28 years.
The same order has been passed in respect of the other 31 criminals. It is probable that all these culprits would spend their entire life in jail. The second significance of this judgment is that a lady judge has pronounced the judgment to a woman culprit who belongs to a ruling party.
Majority of the witnesses in this case consists of women. They recorded their witness statements frankly and fearlessly and identified the culprits correctly.
The judge, in her judgment, said that no doubt, rape, gang rape and murders have been committed in this case and Muslims women have been burnt out later. Out of 32 culprits, punishments were pronounced in respect of 31 criminals; one culprit being absconding.
The judge rejected the contention of Ms. Maya Kondnani that she has been the victim of politics.
The judge pointed out that whenever she got an opportunity to record her statement, she never said that charges have been framed against her on the basis of political motives.
After she was convicted, she is making this objection, which is baseless.
—-Siasat News