06/10/2010
Life sentence means freedom in India: Neelam Katara
(SHE HAS GONE THROUGH ALL THIS WHAT PRIYADARSHINI'S PARENTS GONE THROUGH,MUST LISTEN SERIOUSLY WHAT SHE IS SAYING BY THIS COMMENT!!!...VIBHA)
Reacting to the Supreme Court's verdict in the Priyadarshini Mattoo murder case, Neelam Katara, mother of another murder victim Nitish Katara, said life sentence in India "means freedom for the culprits".
"I know how it feels to lose one's child. Life sentence in our country means freedom for the culprits, soon they are out on bail," Katara told IANS in her first reaction to the verdict.
Santosh Kumar Singh, son of a senior police officer, had been given death sentence by the Delhi High Court four years ago for the 1996 rape and murder of Priyadarshini Mattoo, his junior in Delhi University. The Supreme Court Wednesday commuted it to life imprisonment.
Katara said: "I can understand the family's disappointment. Murder in our country hasn't remained the rarest of rare case because there are so many murders. There is a lacuna in our criminal justice system."
Drawing parallels with her son's case, she said: "I have got two prisoners out there on life sentence who are out on parole, making my life difficult."
Katara's son Nitish, a business executive, was murdered in 2002 by Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav's son Vikas for being in a relationship with his sister, Bharti.
Both Vikas and his cousin Vishal were convicted in the case.
Santosh Singh - the man convicted of killing Priyadarshini Mattoo in 1996
Priyadarshini's father: I will fight till my last breath
Meanwhile, retired Kashmiri chief engineer and Priyadarshini's father, Chaman Lal Mattoo said he felt "completely shattered" by the Supreme Court verdict and vowed to "fight the case till his last breath".
It is "the saddest day in my life as the apex court has not done justice to me or my daughter who fell victim to a spoilt brat," Mattoo told IANS referring to Santosh Kumar Singh who killed Priyadarshini in Delhi in 1996.
Mattoo said the Supreme Court should have "upheld the judgment of the Delhi High Court and sent the accused to the gallows".
He hinted that he might file a review petition after consulting legal experts.
"I will not leave the battle for justice for my daughter midway. I will fight the case till my last breath," he said, adding he felt "completely shattered".
The case has been closely watched by people in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the Kashmiri Hindu community. Mattoo is a Kashmiri who retired as chief engineer in the Power Development Department in Jammu.
Priyadarshini was killed by Santosh in her uncle's flat in Vasant Kunj in Delhi. She was found dead Jan 23, 1996.
Source: IANS
Rate this article: Poor Thank you for rating.Excellent
Your rating helps other users gauge the value of an article
Thank you for rating.
Average rating: from 3 users
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment