Now, that everyone is talking about whether there should be jail or bail to the actor in this case, it is nothing about a prejudice or judging the judge, but its just that expression of humanity which is the need of the hour in our country at the moment. It seems that humanity is somewhere lost to all this bling and glamour. And, the main reason I decided to write this post , is also based on the Universal fact that we are humans and are supposed to be that. Yes, Being Human........... !!!!
Coming to context, I would be upfront in stating that the main victim in this whole infamous Hit and Run case, has been the man who was the one who taught all of us what is the real meaning of BEING HUMAN. I am talking about Ravindra Patil who was the Prime witness in this case . He later turned hostile and ended up begging on the streets of Mumbai, caught up with fatal Drug Resistant TB, and died at no age of 30 years, exactly after 5 years of when this accident happened, i.e. in 2002.
First let me account some of the facts about Patil's life here, in the context of this case.
Ravindra Patil was a constable in the Mumbai Police force, and was later trained as a commando in SOS division in Mumbai Police Force, who primarily guard the VIPs. He was a pass out of 1998 batch, and at the age of 24 year, assigned at the service of the actor Salman Khan after he filed a complaint that he was getting threats from the Underworld. Patil was assigned to the service as an Unarmed Police Bodyguard to the Superstar. He was a tall, and a muscular man, young enough to fantasize about being so close to the Bollywood heartthrob. And Patil himself was fond of Salman. He would take several friends to the actor and introduce them. Everything was running smooth. One day, Salman told Patil that he along with his cousin, is going to Rain Bar. They all left the actor's house. While coming back, we all know what happened and Salman banged the car into American Express Bakery underneath which, 4 people were injured. One died later. Now, this Policeman justified his job and stayed there to help the victims. He was in fact the first one to lodge an FIR about this case. Not really going in very minute details here, as almost everyone knows what happened later.
Now, we all know how things shaped up and took an adverse turn for this honest constable over the years. It pains me every single time I think or wanna mention the stuff I have read about him. As a matter of fact, there is very less info on Patil available on social media at least. The first person to divulge the information on public platform is a journalist blogger who later had to delete the post and send a written apology to the superstar, which is terrible. Freedom of Expression was arbitrary until a few days back when the SC upheld the right and ruled out section 66A from the constitution.
Now, there was another journalist who is now a renowned name in media, who discovered Patil in a miserably diseased state and published his account later. What happened was, when Patil went missing, after he was released from the jail, he actually ended up begging on the streets of Mumbai and caught up with the Fatal Drug Resistant TB. The journo found him in a govt. hospital around 14 days before he died. He was in such a pathetic condition that it was hard for the reporter to compare his appearance to what he used to look like earlier. And the fact was, it was not much time, only 5 years down the line, so much happened to this poor guy that tall good looking SOS Commando who was serving as a bodyguard, was reduced to 30 kilos of mass. He would often cough with blood while speaking. This is as per the account of the journo I quoted above, who had met Patil. As per this account, Patil reiterated at the end, “I stood by my statement till the end, but my department did not stand by me. I want my job back, I want to survive. I want to meet the police commissioner once." No one would visit him, in the last days, abandoned by his family, removed from the force, the life ditched this honest man in every aspect. But his conviction was rock solid, and he dint change his statement till his last breath. He mentioned at times, that this case had ruined his life big time. He wanted to stay away from this case. That was the reason why he started keeping away but he was not absconding. But the destiny took its course on Patil's life, and he was robbed off everything in his life. Be it, the job, the loyalty, family , health, money and what not. It pains me at typing every bit of it. What was his mistake?? Just as much as Being Human to be honest. Nobody paid any heat to what had happened to the prime witness in the case. Judges kept ignoring his pleas and he was going through and mental trauma. Its an irony that, the guy who was actually was suffering so that the victims get the justice, but no one cared about him. His deeds were selfless and he never gave up! But the big question is , did the prosecution try to do the needful for the person who would help them win this case. Almost the whole case was built on the basis of his statement. Then why did no one try to do something in his interest.. !! The answer to this question lies in a fact that in India, we do not have a law to protect the Witness.
In India, the testimony of the prime witness is considered the most important document in a criminal case, which often influences the final verdict.
According to Bentham, witnesses are the "eyes and ears of justice" .
As per a paper about Criminal justice in India :
"The right of the accused for an open trial in his or her presence, being not absolute, the law as to balance that right of the accused as against the need for fair administration of justice in which the victims and witness depose without fear or danger to their lives or property or those of their close relatives. In a situation when the victim is known to the accused, there is no need to protect the identity of the victim but still the victim may desire that his or her examination in the Court may be allowed to be given separately and not in the immediate presence of the accused because if he or she were to depose in the physical presence of the accused, there can be tremendous trauma and it may be difficult for the witness to depose without fear or trepidation."
Youhan Makasare, who was on the case till 2011 says that Mr Patil kept getting threats. "Yes he was very stressed which is why he was irregular and he would tell me about phone calls but I think it affected him mentally too," he said.
When we asked Mr Ghorat why they didn't do enough for him, he says it's for the police to answer why a witness who did good, died a few months after he deposed.
So, the whole matter is that its high time we need a Strict Witness Protection Law. Peopel who are mighty and powerful, would wana try every trick to control and influence the winesses and bribe them or threaten them. At the end of the day, it turns out to be traumatic with the witnesses. What happened with Patil, was terrible and shameful. And it is not the only case. There have been many cases in India where the witnessed turned hostile or one felt that there must be a Witness protection Law.
Now, as far as Patil is concerned, what happened could have been avoided. But its clear as water, that there was no will to do so, neither within the Police Force nor within Patil's social circle. Despite Patil's indications, no one cared. He was such a wise man and tried following the law every time but when the law itself turned harmful for him, he decided to keep away. But his destiny had something else kept for him which later took its course on him.
Patil has lived for others and will be immortal. He will live many lives even after death. He was honest to the system as every police office is taught. I wish others justified their duties too. We lost such a pure soul. And he was not just a victim of the paralysed system , but also by the time when no one really dared to speak against wrong.
Time has changed now. People have learnt it the hard way. Either you speak for your rights, or die like a slave. It is a bitter truth!!
We must, as human beings, stand against injustice. And we must stand up for those who are muscled under this system. For Ravindra Patil, an honest police constable, merely 24 years of age, might have had many dreams. And specially when he was so daring he would have had big aspirations. However, he lost everything as he dared to speak against the mighty superstar who claims to be a human. I don't have anything against Salman personally, but the social / charity done to cover the ill deeds, is all a showoff and is shallow. The actor was proven with the charges and also he tried to manipulate the facts and evidenced before the court. Worst, he pressurized, and threatened a witness so much that he became a beggar. Not just that, Salman never turned up to see him. Is this being human?? No body gets any pleasure whether Salman get imprisoned for 5 years, for lifetime or is hanged. The question is Justice to the Victims. Noorullah would not come back. Others wont get normal again in terms of their physical abilities. And Patil, who stood up so strong for the truth, his depatment, the victims , all selfless, what did he get. He suffered the most in this case,, More than the technical victims of this case. Even more than the one who died. However, everyone has a unique approach to look at things and so would you all have to this.. Please share your views and if you think that there should be justice to Patil , spread the word as much as you can. Coz its never too late.
Hope, that SC would seriously look this up and do something to frame the Witness Protection Law as there is in USA and some other economies.
