:dateline:While addressing a gathering at the Makhan Shah Lubana Auditorium on World Human Rights Day, Former Justice Markanday Katju said that Prof. Devinderpal Singh Bhullar should be released immediately as he was innocent in the case.
Elaborating on�details of the case against Prof. Bhullar, Justice Katju explained that Prof. Bhullar was held guilty by the panel of judges with a 2:1 ratio just on the basis of a forcefully obtained confession. He added that out of the four accused in the case, three were acquitted by the Court so it is sure thing that a fourth person�couldn�t conspire to commit a crime by himself.
Citing international standards of law, he said that if a judge acquits threes out of four accused of a conspiracy case, then fourth one must be released. A single person can�t be held accused of conspiring to commit�a criminal act.
He said that it was a tragedy that the Indian judiciary was running�to gain�popularity decisions. He added that Prof. Bhullar, Afzal Guru and Yakub Memon were held guilty just on the basis of confessions under duress, made before police and no representation. He asserted facing�Police torture, anyone could confess any crime due to pain and fear.
It is worth mentioning here that authenticity of Prof. Bhullar�s confession also remained under question as it was typed on computer and no audio/video footage of the confession being�made available to the Court. However, an audio/video confession would be�necessary to prove as�authentic in TADA Courts, if the Police fail to get written confession from the accused.
Meanwhile, supporters reiterate that an innocent teacher has been scapegoated in a crime that the Punjab Police had the inability to investigate, and is usual in India, square blame is placed against vocal activists. Professor Bhullar has dipped into severe mental episodes due to the duress placed upon him in during incarceration.�
