JUSTICE DELAYED JUSTICE DENIED

(letter)

This refers to abrupt livist in Tehlka inquiry. Justice K. Venkataswami, heading the
Tehelka Commission of Inquiry resigned after conducting the probe for 20 months, when
a controversy arose on his appointment as chairman of the Authority on Advance Ruling
for customs and central Excise.
Tehelka expose was a set back for the ruling NDA, It revealed that governments defence
purchases mechanism was for porous and corrupt. The spy camera used by the Journalist
team caught politicians taking bribe. Defence minister George Fernandes, Samata Party
chief Jaya, Jaitly and former president Bangaru Laxman were disgraced by the expose.
As soon as the Tehlka tapes were made public, it created storm and claimed the heads of
Bangaru Laxman and Jaya,Jaitly, fernandes too resigned but later on, prime Minister Atal
Behari Vajpayee re inducted him in the union cabinet as Defence Minister. The
opposition took the government to task for this back of the Prime Minister and till now
have been refusing to recognise him as Indias Defence Minister. During question hours,
when ever he stood up in the Hose to reply questions pertaining to Defence Ministry, the
opposition boycotted him.
While the nation was eagerly waiting the report of Inquiry Commission, there came the
news of Venkataswamis resignation. He quit the chair after 20 months. In all 961 pages
of deposition were recorded, 50 witnesses examined and 101 sittings were held.
The opposition, particularly the congress that stormed the House on the appointment of
Venkataswami to preside over Authority on Advance Ruling for Customs and Central
Excise hardly realized that it would backfire on them, leading to derailment of Tehelka
Inquiry.
A month has passed but there is no sign of filling up the vacancy by appointing new
incumbent in Venkata Swamis place. Reportedly the government, caught in a bind after
chief Justice of India left the onus of finding Venkakta Swami successor on the law
ministry.
Corruption is endemic to Indian polity. Every Scam-bug or small involving politicians,
top bureaucrats and Business lycoons is carried through years of inquiry. If it atall lands
in a court, the lengthy judicial procedure takes decades to deliver judgment. Bofers case
hangs in the air for over a decade. Hawala payment Scams ended in Smokes. As Fodder
Scams acquised persons including Laloo Prasad Yadav are now free to manipulate
witnesses holding power on state administration, there is little chance of early judement
in Fodder Scam.
People in general now believe that laws of the land are meant for the ordinary citizens.
High and powerful manage to escape the consequences of their misdeeds, by delaying or
derailing the process enquiry and judicial proceeding.
Justice delayed is justice denied, with the law makers and conscious people of this land
ponder over the matter and do something to ensure expedient delivery of justice?