Police advertisement in Today's newspaper read as under:
"General public is hereby informed that one unknown person (Not disclosing his name and whereabouts) aged about 60, was arrested in connection with allegation of involvement in a kidnapping case. He was given bail by court. But since he is not disclosing his name whereabouts and sureties, he is kept in judicial custody. General Public is requested to inform his identification from photo published herewith"
This was substance of an advertisement issued by police in Times of India dated 23.11.2014.
But behind this, lay deep stories of pain and miseries of poor who are too poor to defend themselves.
They have no money to pay lawyers.
They do not disclose their names, often with fear that police or some other goons may harm their family.
Sometimes they are "Bonded Labourers" of Bigger Criminals.
Sometimes they are deserted by their families.
They live alone on an island, cut off from social ties.
Last year, I had a case of a poor woman.
Somebody had sent her papers. Somebody had paid expanses for filing papers in Supreme Court. We lawyers are also supposed to help poor and needy without charging fees.
I took her case.
Supreme Court granted her bail.
But even thereafter, she remained in jail as no one was coming forward to give sureties.
The person who had come to give papers had stopped contacting.
I had no other contacts or address of any of her relatives.
She continued to be in jail inspite of order of Supreme Court granting bail.
After nine months, I passed a warning to the person who had sent me papers that I am going to mention this matter to Supreme Court Judges by filing an application.
He immediately conveyed that I should not do so since they are doing needful to release the woman from jail.
A week later I was told that some one had furnished sureties and she was released from jail.
The case still remains in darkness for me.
There are many such cases in which even lawyers do not know much about their clients.
Haresh Raichura
23/11/14
Copyright : Haresh Raichura 2014. All Rights reserved.
