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| pending cases |
In a case quoted in the article in the Kannada weekly 'Hi Bangalore' in its issue dated 27-3-2014 titled "can life (jeevana) be brought back" narrates the sordid story of one Ramlal, a
postman who was recruited on compassionate grounds on the death of his father in Kanpur.
One day in 1984 Ram Lal returned to the Post office after his daily routine, he handed over balance of undelivered M.O.of Rs. 400 out of 700 and the post master feigned to be very busy and when Ram lal insisted the Post Master to count the Money he was asked to leave the money on the table. Trusting, Ram lal left for home. He was leading a contented family life. But the next day Policemen came to Ramlal's house and arrested him on the complaint of the Post Master saying that he had stolen Rs 57/- out of the remaining money left after distributing the money orders and was told he would be released and taken to duty if he returned Rs.57/- immediately. His wife undertook to arrange the money but Ram Lal refused as that amounted to his
accepting he had stolen the money and chose to contest the case in Court. He was released on bail and was doing some manual labour but the court case went on with perennial adjournments as the main complainant and witness never appeared but Ram Lal would attend the court regularly. Every time a judge was transferred, the new judge would take time to study the case and Ram Lal got frustrated and missed some hearings. The court issued him a warrant but at the same time took no action on the complainant and main witness for their continuous absence. In the meanwhile the main complainant Post Master retired and died a couple of months later.
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| adjournment ok, but goldfish.... |
Relief came when a new judge took charge and noted that the case involving a paltry sum of Rs.57/- was dragged for 29 years and the chief complainant died and so dismissed the case for want of evidence. Mean while Ram Lal turned 60 and reached retiring age by the time of judgment. The Govt. did not pay the arrears for which he had to file another petition. During this long time he lost his daughter to T.B. and had to sell a small piece of his land and a house to meet the daughter's medical bill and court expenses. A simple case went on for 29 years from 1984 to 2013 before justice was dispensed.
LIC pensioners are getting a taste of the Indian judicial system of perplexing judgments. The case is, SPL being dismissed with sound reason but in one last sentence giving chance for another appeal against the dismissal and accepting the appeal condoning nearly an year's delay. Further giving LIC two chances after the Rajasthan High Court rejected the review petition. According to CPC LIC had only two options after Division bench upheld the single judge's order - either to go for Review petition or filing a SPL but strangely they were allowed to gamble with Review petition and when it failed allowed the SPL much against the spirit of CPC but who can question the Indian judiciary's quirk system? But we were sincere, honest and loyal employees like Ram Lal and we will get justice earlier than Ramlal's 29 years, maybe in about an year from now or even earlier, BUT JUSTICE WILL BE DONE.
May be most of us will survive to reap the benefit of protracted, costly and taxing legal fight and so GOD bless.
T SAMPATH IYENGAR, BANGALORE