A nonagenarian's 25-year-long fight for justice

It took Prakashvati, a resident of Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh and now in her 90s, 18 long years to secure in 2001 the conviction of six persons for the murder of her only son and two brothers over a property dispute. But just as she felt that justice has been done and the guilty put behind bars, the prime accused in the case – who had over the years developed political clout -- was released by the Samajwadi Party government of Akhilesh Yadav, barely a few days before it demited office in March 2017.

The release took place despite the convict being involved in other criminal cases, the law clearly prescribing that those involved in pre-planned murders would not be considered for mercy, and a four-member panel headed by a Principal Secretary turning down the mercy plea. The matter was subsequently raised before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court which completed the hearing about six months ago and is expected to pronounce its decision.

Pune-based RTI activist Mohit Singh, who was moved by Prakashvati’s struggle for justice and decided to help her in the battle, and Prakashvati speak to Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar about the case and how justice still eludes them a quarter of a century after the three men were killed in cold blood. Click here to support The Wire: https://thewire.in/support