Pride and fall

Sir ? By commenting that he would have broken out of jail if he had been informed about his mother?s illness, Salman Khan has insulted the law of the land (?Phew! Free before breaking free?, April 14). Khan is obviously trying to play up to his macho image by making such a statement, but he should have remembered that he is a person serving a sentence pronounced by the court and hence, is meant to be disciplined in action and speech. It seems that this repeat-offender has not yet learnt his lesson and deserves to be prosecuted again for showing such brazen disrespect for the law.

Yours faithfully,
Joydip Kundu, Calcutta

Sir ? Going by the media reports, Salman Khan seems to be totally unrepentant about the crime he has committed. He even boasts about breaking jail, as if the authorities have done him a great injustice by arresting him. With quite a few cases still pending against him, Khan had better reign in his tall talk. Now that the Indian judiciary has firmly established the fact that none is above the law, Khan should be warned that no amount of muscle-flexing and clout-wielding can save him.

Yours faithfully,
C.R.Bhattacharjee, Calcutta

Sir ? The Indian judicial system has proved that everyone is equal before the law by sending Salman Khan to jail for killing a black buck over seven years ago (?Jail ki roti for Salman Khan, for real?, April 11). Khan may have hired top-notch lawyers and got bail, but spending at least two nights in a prison cell and being treated in more or less the same way as any other criminal offender ought to be able to humble him and teach him to have respect for other lives.

Yours faithfully,
U.S. Iyer, Bangalore

Sir ? The jail term for Salman Khan might go a long way in discouraging those who kill animals for fun and sport. Especially since this is a high-profile case, the punishment imposed on Khan will be a message to all that poaching will be dealt with sternly. Since one has got used to the rich and the powerful walking free even after committing punishable offences, the sentence served to Khan was as unexpected as it was welcome. The court probably tried to set an example by making Khan pay for his crime. Khan?s celebrity status, in this case, has become his bane because the court has used him to prove that even the wealthy and famous can be brought to book. The media have also played a positive role by creating awareness about protecting endangered species and directing public opinion against Khan. One hopes that similar judgments will be meted out to those who get away with any kind of crime by virtue of their power and position.

Yours faithfully,
G.D. Dujari, Calcutta

Sir ? It is unfortunate that Salman Khan has been sentenced to five years? rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 25,000 for killing a protected species of deer. It is not that Khan does not deserve punishment but perhaps it has been too harsh in his case. If Khan is to be punished for poaching, then all other celebrities who have been found guilty of crimes of a similar nature ought to meet the same fate. Yet, the chief judicial magistrate at Jhajjar granted bail to the former cricket captain of India, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, when he was caught last year in a black buck-poaching case. The notorious poacher, Veerappan, who had killed hundreds of elephants, also roamed free for more than a decade till he was finally gunned down by the police of Tamil Nadu. This is not to condone Khan but to say that he deserves a retrial before he is made to serve a jail term.

Yours faithfully,
R. Sekar, Nalco Nagar, Orissa

Sir ? The verdict given to Salman Khan for killing a chinkara is an aberration in the Indian judicial history since cases involving high profile men are usually hushed up and forgotten. The judicial system of the country does not ensure a free and fair trial to those who cannot afford to engage powerful lawyers to defend their cases, which then end up being delayed endlessly and shifted from one court to another with adjournments and appeals. Even in such rare cases of conviction as Khan?s, one cannot help asking why the actor will have a 20x30 ft room, meant for 20 to 25 inmates, all to himself. And why should a man of Khan?s wealth be charged only Rs 25,000 as fine when he can surely afford a larger amount? If a celebrity criminal gets special treatment in prison because of his status, then the monetary fine imposed on him should also be higher than that of ordinary criminals. Our outdated legal system is in urgent need of a thorough overhaul if it is to gain some credibility.

Yours faithfully,
Asit Kumar Mitra, Calcutta

Sir ? It seems that Salman Khan has a habit of getting caught, be it for poaching or drunken driving. This only indicates his lack of tact because his fellow celebrities seem to get away easily even after committing murder, as proved in the Jessica Lal case. Given his popularity and affluence, Khan should have ensured that the witnesses turn hostile or someone file an affidavit confirming that chinkaras are not available in India. Perhaps he needs some tips on how to manipulate the police and the judiciary to make them serve his ends.

Yours faithfully,
Chameli Pal, Batanagar

Sir ? After reading about Salman Khan?s arrest seven and a half years after killing a chinkara, one wonders whether to feel happy for the protected chinkaras or to marvel at the ways of the Indian judiciary which is more easily stirred into action when it comes to protecting rare species of deer than human life. Is a chinkara more valuable than a young woman like Jessica Lal whose murderers escaped unpunished? Will the law be amended to provide greater security to human life?

Yours faithfully,
Purnima Vasudeva, Calcutta