Punishment-to whom?

Sanjay Dutt has again asked for bail and his bail has been extended till 6 Feb. Found guilty on 28 Nov, his surrender was postponed till Dec 19, after which it was extended till Jan 18, when he again got an extension and now he has to surrender on Feb 6. Sanjay was found guilty for possessing a 9mm pistol and an AK-56 rifle. He applied for bail stating that he was the only earning member and wanted to make arrangements for his daughter’s education. Has anyone ever heard of such excuses for bail petitions? And the amazing fact is that he has been granted bail. Though he was sentenced almost 2 months back, he has not been convicted till now. How can we then call our system fair??
No one is raising voice against this outright mockery of law.

When we look at the problem like this, we realize that the system is not fair, but maybe there can be a different solution to the problem.

There are people who commit crimes under pressure, first time offenders, people who have been forced to do those crimes under unavoidable circumstances, for excitement. These people who are not basically criminals but have done some wrong deeds due to misguidance or circumstances should be given a chance for a better life. Condition in jails is horrible and the environment they provide is far from conducive to the betterment of people. People come out of jails hardened and bitter. Convicts are generally left unproductive, as their talent and skills are all wasted and they usually work as unskilled or semi-skilled laborers. Why should the state feed the people who have been convicted and why should their families be left to fend for themselves?? The real punishment is given to the accused families who have to look after themselves

One thing that I would like to say is that I am NOT defending those criminals for whom crimes are a way of life, who are not sorry for what they have done or those whose mentality justifies the crimes that they have committed.

If these conditions have to continue, then maybe it is better not to convict them at all. Why is there no probation system in India, one in which people who commit such crimes can be put in probation houses where they are free to go out in the day, earn for themselves and their families, lead a fairly normal life, but report back to the place in the evening; and then if they commit the crime again, then maybe they can be put through a difficult punishment. In the end, the purpose is to make people realize their mistakes and make them better human beings.

Even in Dutt’s case, he was not fully aware of the consequences or the severity of his actions. Sanjay has already served 18 months in jail and its highly unlikely that he will repeat his acts again, and considering the fact that so much money is invested in his films, maybe he could also be left out on probation, but of course heavy fine should be imposed on him. That way the state can get funds to put in better causes, and Sanjay will also not be rendered unproductive.