Gross miscarriage of justice in Kandhamal

There is an overt miscarriage of justice in Orissa. A fast track court has once again acquitted one of the prime-accused in the 2008 Kandhamal violence.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Manoj Pradhan was on Tuesday, Nov. 24, freed in a murder case registered during the last year's anti-Christian pogroms.

For the sixth time, the court has acquitted him of "want of evidence". Pradhan was accused of killing Trinath Digal on August 25 2008.

The alleged mastermind of the riots now has got reprieve in six of the 14 cases pending against him. Bibhu Dutta Das, an attorney of the Orissa High Court, has no doubt that the hardcore Hindutva lawmaker will be easily acquitted in the remaining cases as well.

"Christians are too shocked by the travesty of justice in Orissa. Through intimidation and harassment of witnesses, Manoj is getting away in all cases," Das told Christian Today.

Pradhan was just recently (Nov. 19) acquitted of rioting. Before that he got away in a case of arson. Prior to this, he was let off for kidnapping and murder after the "charges could not be proved".

Says attorney Das, one of many reasons the charges cannot be proved is because the witnesses are turning hostile. Additionally, many who are supposed to testify against him are outside Kandhamal, getting refuge or starting life afresh.

With the current breakdown of justice, Christians feel cheated and insecure. To counter the judicial faux pas, Christians have filed for a revision of the cases in the High Court.

Further, a Public Interest Litigation calling for special investigation by the police into Pradhan's cases will be filed in the Supreme Court, according to attorney Das. They have also demanded that the cases be shifted outside Kandhamal.

Despite being accused of abetting violence against Christians, Pradhan who is also the district general secretary of BJP's youth wing Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, got elected from G. Udaygiri seat.