Ram Jhula hit-&-run case drags. Is justice dead? Asks victims’ kin

Nagpur: The high-profile Ram Jhula hit-and-run case involving Ritika Maloo and Madhuri Sarda seems to be hitting a dead end with the state CID botching up the chargesheet deadline and flouting Bombay High Court's directive to fast-track investigations. While Maloo was in jail for 2 months, justice was swift in the Pune Porsche case, where the accused was tossed behind bars for almost 2 years. In both cases, 2 people were mowed down. And while justice crawled in Nagpur, justice was decisive in Pune. So who's to blame? Read between the lines.In coming weeks, the 10th hearing on framing of charges in sessions court is set to take place, hoping for progress as grieving families of the two young victims continue to wallow in agony and despair.The tragic incident occurred on Feb 25, 2024, on the Ram Jhula when a Mercedes car, allegedly driven by Ritika Maloo under the influence of alcohol, rammed a two-wheeler, killing software engineer Mohd Atif and Mohd Hussain Mustafa on the spot. Forensic reports confirmed alcohol in Maloo's blood sample. Madhuri Sarda, who was sitting in the passenger seat, is also an accused in the case.Despite clear evidence, including forensic reports and eyewitness accounts, the trial process has been painfully slow, lamented the deceased techie Atif's brother, Atik.The case was transferred to the State CID by the high court after serious allegations of police lapses surfaced. Bombay High Court earlier directed the trial court to expedite the matter, but those orders appear to have had little impact on the ground. Families of the deceased are devastated. "Even after the high court order, state CID botched up the chargesheet deadline and allowed the accused default bail. How can an agency like CID and its officers be unaware about the chargesheet deadline? Why can't the CID be hauled up ," asked angry relatives. "Police released Maloo's car without a court order while the probe was pending. Is it believable? Does such deviation happen every day," asked relatives.Three months ago, deceased techie Hussain's father, Mohd Ghulam Mustafa, 62, passed away. "He died waiting for justice, he died of trauma. His wife is bedridden. The family is wrecked," said a family member.The surviving relatives have been running from pillar to post, repeatedly approaching the principal district judge and even writing to the high court administrative judge for transfer of case to a less burdened court so that trial can be expedited. Their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.Mohd Atif's elder brother expressed deep anguish: "We are still waiting for an intervention. It feels like justice is denied to us," he said. He further warned, "Accidents, especially hit-and-run cases, are rising alarmingly. If we cannot ensure speedy trials, more innocent people will die on the roads."Sources stated the additional public prosecutor Rashmi Khaparde has been pushing for the trial to begin, but the court, burdened with multiple cases, was unable to allocate time for framing charges or conducting prolonged hearings."This tareekh-pe-tareekh culture continues to prevail in Nagpur sessions court, despite repeated observations by Bombay High Court for a speedy trial," said Atik. Legal experts say repeated adjournments stalled the momentum even after a detailed 425-page chargesheet was filed.