Justice Delayed is Justice Denied

In early 2015, Freedom Firm filed a Public Interest Litigation(PIL) before the Bombay High Court to address the issue of misuse of the provisions of bail by the accused in several trafficking cases.  The PIL resulted in the proceedings being stalled under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, and thereby depriving the victims of their rightful claim to rehabilitation.

This justice initiative was not hurriedly taken before the Constitutional Court, just by considering the menace that happened in one case, but carefully chosen, monitored, and researched several cases over the period of almost 5 long years, out of which 8 important cases were highlighted as they came to a standstill right after the minor victims had strongly testified against traffickers who immediately went absconding. 

We placed sufficient material particulars or circumstances suggesting that the traffickers were fleeing from justice or thwarting the course of justice, and pleaded with the Court to lay down guidelines to be followed while releasing the accused on bail in such serious offences.  

The Court directed the Pune Police Commissioner to remain present before the Court on the next date.  The Pune Police Commissioner appeared in Court in September 2015 and apprised the Court that he had recently taken charge and would do the needful. ( In April 2015 a few days after his appointment as Police Commissioner, he declared at a press conference, “I will deal with criminals with an ‘iron hand’, give me some time.”

The compliance reports submitted at the next few Court hearings were termed as “most dis-satisfactory” by the Court.  They then laid down landmark guidelines while disposing of the PIL. The State ordered a special drive which would be led by the Police Commissioner, the top cop with an “iron hand”.  He took the next seven months until his retirement to find and deal with all the absconding accused in the eight trafficking cases, but failed.  

The special drive proved to be a systemic failure.  Ten years have passed since then. The accused are still absconding. The victims are still waiting for justice. What an absolute travesty of justice!

We will continue to fight for these survivors, demand answers, and seek justice because we truly believe that justice delayed is justice denied.

Thank you for standing with us and joining the fight. Every legal victory, a denied bail application, a fine,  and a prison sentence, we celebrate with you, our partners, not in crime, but in fighting crime, and one of the most vicious and violent crimes of our times. 

Ashwin Rathod, Associate National Director, Freedom Firm