Feb 26 2015
:
The Times of India
(Mumbai)
Life term for Salem on victim's death anniv
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Ahmed Ali
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Justice After 20 Yrs: Slain
Builder's Kin Say Sentence Is Too Little, Too Late; Question Undertaking
Given To Portuguese Govt
Pradeep Jain's family
welcomed the punishment awarded to gangster Abu Salem and his
cro nies for killing Jain, a sentence that
coincided with the slain builder's death anniversary . But they felt a
life term was little consolation for the 20year delay in getting
justice. “We are not satisfied with the punishment given to Salem.
We wanted him to be hanged to death. But since justice has come after
20 years, we are trying to convince ourselves as none of my family
members have any emotional or financial strength left to challenge it. I
want the government to bring an amendment in the old IPC laws and set
up fast track courts for speedy trial in sensational cases,'' said
Pradeep's younger brother Sunil Jain, adding, “Why was an undertaking
given to the Portuguese government that Salem will not be given capital
punishment.“
Jain also criticized the 1999 probe when all seven accused were acquitted for shoddy investigation.“I was then shocked when I learnt that the court acquitted all the accused because the police failed to carry out a chemical analysis of weapons used in the crime. It is unfortunate that most criminals are acquitted either due to a shoddy probe or lack of witnesses. But I stood firm through the full trial though Salem and his men kept threatening me,'' said Jain.
He was irked by the Rs 46-lakh bill handed to him by the state government for providing him police security . “I did not ask for it, the police gave me security on their own. Why should I pay for being a witness in the murder ? I brought up the issue in court, after which the bill was waived,“ he said.
While Jain didn't change his statement despite threats, another valuable prosecution witness who braved several threats and immense pressure was Nayeem Shaikh alias T R. Nayeem. Initially one of the accused, as he had negotiated the deal with the Jains of Kamla Construction on behalf of Salem, he later turned approver. “Salem had helped my relative get acquittal in a murder case. So on his instruction, I went to strike the deal for him. I attended one or two meetings with the Jain brothers and also collected the extortion money from them and sent it to Salem through hawala channels. But in 2005 when Salem was deported and my name cropped up in the case, I came to India on my own to clear my conscience. After spending nearly a year in jail, I decided to turn approver,“ said Nayeem.
Riyaz Siddiqui, another accused who initially became an approver but later turned hostile will now be tried for Jain's murder. Inspectors Dinesh Kadam, Sachin Kadam and Sunil Mane, and former inspector Suhail Buddah were part of the team which investigated and established Salem's role in the case.
Jain also criticized the 1999 probe when all seven accused were acquitted for shoddy investigation.“I was then shocked when I learnt that the court acquitted all the accused because the police failed to carry out a chemical analysis of weapons used in the crime. It is unfortunate that most criminals are acquitted either due to a shoddy probe or lack of witnesses. But I stood firm through the full trial though Salem and his men kept threatening me,'' said Jain.
He was irked by the Rs 46-lakh bill handed to him by the state government for providing him police security . “I did not ask for it, the police gave me security on their own. Why should I pay for being a witness in the murder ? I brought up the issue in court, after which the bill was waived,“ he said.
While Jain didn't change his statement despite threats, another valuable prosecution witness who braved several threats and immense pressure was Nayeem Shaikh alias T R. Nayeem. Initially one of the accused, as he had negotiated the deal with the Jains of Kamla Construction on behalf of Salem, he later turned approver. “Salem had helped my relative get acquittal in a murder case. So on his instruction, I went to strike the deal for him. I attended one or two meetings with the Jain brothers and also collected the extortion money from them and sent it to Salem through hawala channels. But in 2005 when Salem was deported and my name cropped up in the case, I came to India on my own to clear my conscience. After spending nearly a year in jail, I decided to turn approver,“ said Nayeem.
Riyaz Siddiqui, another accused who initially became an approver but later turned hostile will now be tried for Jain's murder. Inspectors Dinesh Kadam, Sachin Kadam and Sunil Mane, and former inspector Suhail Buddah were part of the team which investigated and established Salem's role in the case.
