Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
The Delhi High Court has saved Ms. Jaya Jaitly from imprisonment by way of a “stay” on the CBI Court’s verdict that had to overcome all the acts of browbeating the law for around two-decades to reach the decision that she and her co-accused were guilty of the offence exposed by the news portal Tehelka in January 2001 in its sting operation styled ‘Operation West End’.
Instead of acting against the exposed offenders, the political government had subjected the portal to prosecution.
I had discussed the matter at a critical juncture of the case, raising a demand for inquiry against Vajpayee along with Fernandes. It was captioned: VAJPAYEE BE ENQUIRED INTO IN CONTEXT OF FERNANDES.
Had it been possible, that dark chapter of Vajpayee Raj could have come to light. He is dead, so also Fernandes. The dark chapter has remained dark.
Against this backdrop, when the appropriate Court has found the living ones of that exposed coterie guilty of the offence, which is, in reality, no less than treachery against the Country, I feel, the High Court should add no more years to the delay in justice, which the country is crying for.
Therefore, it should fix a day by which Ms Jaitly shall have to prove that she is not guilty.
No adjournment be allowed and the verdict of the CBI Court be fully operational if she fails to prove her honesty and innocence on that day.
Higher judiciary, in such cases, should be disciplined enough not to add to years of delay in justice.