ASI MURDER CASE: No lawyer should defend case of accused

Khatkar Kalan, December 8, 2012:  Few lawyers including Secretary of SBS Nagar Bar Association Rajinder Singh, Former Additional Advocate General of Punjab Harpreet Sandhu and Karamjeet Singh Ralla visited the Museum of Shaheed-E-Azam S. Bhagat Singh at Khatkar Kalan today.

They paid their tributes there and observed that people of Punjab should atleast read and respect, the words written below the statue of Shaheed-E-Azam S. Bhagat Singh “Message by Bhagat Singh regarding his sacrifice for his countrymen.”

On this, Former Additional Advocate General of Punjab Harpreet Sandhu said that today people have forget what our martyrs played a role on the path towards humanity and today it’s a matter of shame to witness the recent incident where an serving Assistant Sub Inspector of Punjab Police has been shot dead by eve-teasers in Amritsar, this happens to be a matter of deep concern and has rather shaken the conscience of the our State.

He said, “Where are we heading for? The ghastly murder of a cop that too in uniform for attempting to protect his daughter from being molested by a political worker offers a glimpse of the outrageous state of affairs in our country”. He added this particular incident shows how barbaric an eve teaser can become if stopped from doing so and in reality this incident has shaken the confidence of society in the State governance, as people at large are scared about the safety of their daughters.

Adding, he said the law and order situation is grave with crime against women a frequent occurrence. Above all its matter of deep concern that the accused who has committed this heinous crime had been issued three arms on a single arms licence, why because the accused happens to be politically connected – having a political party post – power as this is inflicted on us by members of the political class, who have interfered in police affairs and made a mess of a law and order and arms licences seems to have been issued like 'candies to  youngsters ' in Punjab and these people are moving around with them in the city self styled goons.

Further, he said as such type of goons take a convenient route of joining political parties in order to get a sort of licence of commit unsocial acts. He believed that this feeling of power, be it because of wealth or political position or both devoid of reverence, results in cruelty and violence and its strange that such criminals with political backing are taking advantage of this as witnessed in this shocking incident where eve-teasers killed a police officer in broad daylight for protecting his daughter, who will ordinary citizen look up to? It only shows what LAW means to such elements who have political status.

Also, he said the incident is an insult to the Constitution of our Nation, it is shameful for humanity, it is a total disgrace to a civil society. People must unite against this hooliganism and our Law authorities to enact the most stringent punishment under the provisions of Indian Penal Code to such culprits involved in this heinous and inhuman crime, irrespective of the position and status.

Further, he said even the society needs to boycott such unscrupulous elements who indulge in such heinous crime and no doubt a lawyer practices under a system of law and has an opportunity to alleviate rather than exacerbate the ruin and misfortune of his fellow man. He bears significant responsibility for ensuring that public faith in the legal system is earned and maintained and he is also duty bound by professional conduct but in such criminal matters, being a lawyer feel that no lawyer should protect or defend the accused who are behind this ghastly murder.