Citizens should participate in administration of justice: HC

Commenting on the reluctance of Indians to come forward as witnesses in court, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday said, "There should be more participation of citizens in the administration of justice."

The court was hearing the case pertaining to the death confirmation of two cab-drivers who had gang-raped and murdered a BPO employee from Pune in 2007.

A Division Bench of Justice V M Kanade and Justice P D Kode observed that largely the attitude of people is to stay away from courts and police stations.

The court cited an incident in Orissa where a woman was molested in broad daylight but no one came to her rescue. Justice Kanade said even in cases of accidents, people do not take victims to the hospital.

"When there is an accident and the victim is lying on the road severely injured, people just walk away. No one tries to help the victim," he said.

Pushottam Borale (26) and Pradeep Kokade (20) had picked up the victim from her home in Pashan at about 10.15 pm on November 1, 2007 in a car sent through the pick-up service engaged by her employer.

She was on her way to the office in Hinjewadi on the night shift from 11 pm to 9 am. However, the accused abducted her and took her to Guhane village near Maval where they raped and then killed her by strangulating her with her dupatta, smashing her head with a stone and slashing her wrist with a blade.

The court observed that a number of witnesses in this case were the employees of the BPO or the cab rental service. "It is a good thing that the panch witnesses are independent and not like the regular panchs in other cases where they usually turn hostile."

... contd.

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