Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Bad victim

The article "Of manipulators and a `bad victim'" (March 14) has traced the Best Bakery trial through the prism of Zahira Sheikh's perspective. It is right in resenting what appears a harsh sentence on Zahira. The Supreme Court's objective in sentencing Zahira to imprisonment seems to be to send a strong message to witnesses in criminal cases. But in her case, one needs to consider the trauma she underwent during the Gujarat riots and the trial.

Shahabuddin Nadeem,
Bangalore

* * *

Zahira is a victim of circumstances and the court's sentence is most unfortunate. Though she turned hostile for reasons that need to be probed she is a brave young woman.

How many of us would have had the courage to stand up against the intimidating circumstances and hate that constituted the hostile environment after the Gujarat riots? The court must reconsider its decision in view of the fact that Zahira has suffered enough.

Anu Subroy,
Secunderabad

* * *

It is unfortunate that we do not have effective methods to protect witnesses who are threatened by those against whom they have to testify. To expect bravery and sacrifice for the sake of justice from someone like Zahira is not practical given the socio-economic condition that prevails in our country. Punishing her will vitiate the entire justice deliverance system and even the few who come forward to testify will shy away.

V. Krishnan,
Chennai

* * *

Zahira's frequent flip-flops made one suspect her motive in approaching the legal system. That she was a victim did not give her the right to change her testimony often. In fact, she should have been more steadfast in her resolve to bring the guilty to book.

Yugal Joshi,
New Delhi

* * *

As pointed out by Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal in the conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices, the problem of witnesses turning hostile is nothing new. Any law to make this punishable will have major consequences. Genuine witnesses will be scared to depose. The practice of giving false evidence under police pressure will increase leading to the innocent being punished.

Maragatha Vallii,
Chennai

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