Dharamsala/New Delhi: A fast-track court
in Himachal Pradesh has granted bail to four accused in the
Aman Kachroo ragging case, an order which his father said
would send a "wrong message".
Judge Purinder Vaidya had on Saturday granted bail to
Ajay Verma, Naveen Verma, Abhinav Verma and Mukul Sharma, who
were charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder,
on bond of Rs 50,000 each.
Aman (19), a first year MBBS student at Rajindra
Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda (Kangra), was
allegedly thrashed by his seniors and he subsequently died on
March 8, 2009. The incident sparked an uproar.
The judge said since the statements of the witnesses
have been recorded and material evidence taken into account,
the accused were given bail.
"The decision is a big disappointment even though this
is a matter between the state and the accused. We are not
driven by vengeance but they being out on bail conveys a wrong
message," Aman`s father Raj Kachroo said.
"Definitely, it`s a setback," he said.
The Supreme Court had last year directed all state
governments to constitute committees to look into the
incidents of ragging and curb the menace. A call centre was
also set up.
"Last year, the Supreme Court passed an order asking
the government to execute a well-designed and properly
researched plan that is ready for implementation but nothing
has happened. The token gesture of a call centre has also
failed because it was done very poorly," he claimed.
"It would have been a serious contempt of court in any
country but here, despite the apex court stepping in, nothing
is happening on the field," Raj said.
He said he visits the UGC and the HRD Ministry
everyday but "nothing is moving”.
"Now, the top people there don`t even talk to me. The
peon says you are wasting your time. I get frustrated at times
and even cry," Raj, who has set up `Aman Movement for the
Eradication of Ragging`, said.
"What more can a common man do? I will continue to go
everyday and seek justice for students who undergo ragging.
The wheels have to be moved to save lives," he said.
The next hearing in the case has been fixed for August 2.
PTI
