As the Nation outrages over Kolkata Rape & Murder, Danielle McLaughlin trial in limbo again.
85 Months and 279 Hearings of Danielle McLaughlin rape & murder trial has happened. With the expiry of High Court deadline, the trial is limping again.
After one year of frantic hearings, which sometimes happened on 3 consecutive days straight, after the High Court's instruction to finish the trial within a year; it's back to square one for "Danielle McLaughlin Rape & Murder trial” in Goa; as the trial has started limping again.
On 17th July 2023, High Court of Bombay at Goa, instructed the trial court of Danielle McLaughlin trial at Margao Distt & Sessions Court to finish the trial within a year; while hearing a bail plea of the accused Vikat Bhagat.
https://open.substack.com/pub/99goa/p/high-court-goa-finish-danielle-trial-in-1-year
Following the order, the speed of the Rape&Murder trial increased at scorching pace, with trials being held weekly, then twice a week and sometimes even thrice a week. The urgency and intent to honour the Honourable High Court's instructions was amply visible.
Despite the usual attempts by Defense lawyers to prolong the trial and lapses on the part of Goa Police, which failed to produce the accused on many occasions, due to which the witness examination cannot be recorded; the speed of trial did not relent; with Honourable Judge passing strictures against Goa Police and issuing instructions to North Goa Superintendent of Police.
The pace at which the hearings were taking place, as the deadline of 18th July 2024 approached, despite the hiccups of Lawyer for the accused being absent, Witness not available and Summons not being delivered properly; by all probability, it looked like the trial would be over by July end, and judgement would be delivered by early August, but alas, it was not to be.
The fact of the matter is even the top officials in the Directorate of Prosecution , which is the headquarters of the prosecution in the state, were confident that the trial would conclude by July , with only a handful of witnesses left, including the IOs for the examination. The pace was all set for it, till 18th July 2024; which was the day, when the deadline set by Honourable High Court concluded.
The trial of Danielle McLaughlin started on 4th July 2017 and since then it has been 85 Months. The trial picked up pace, only after the intervention of the High Court; despite several meetings between Embassy and Consulate top officials of both Ireland and United Kingdom, with Government of Goa, including CM.
Now, since a month, after the expiry of the High Court of Bombay at Goa deadline, the speed of the trial has been back to old one, with just about 3 hearings a month.
Even the accused Vikat Bhagat is being produced through VC on these days and there is no update, on the sudden change of pace. It's not known whether the Prosecution has been granted further time, and if so, what is the duration?
It could be possible that, with an extension large enough and only a few witnesses to examine, the pace is consequently leisurely; but the family and friends of Danielle are not sure and hence are very anxious at the moment.
The 259th Hearing of Danielle Trial took place on 21st May 2024, and in last two months, 20 more Hearings have taken place, taking the total to 279 Hearings.
https://99goa.substack.com/p/259th-hearing-of-danielle-mclaughlin-rape-trial
As the Nation outrages and battles for Justice of young Kolkata Doctor's Rape and Murder, including in the state of Goa; Politics and lip service statements are being issued in Goa; with no attempt to find how many rape cases are pending in the state and is there a way that they can be expideted?
https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/GMC-resident-doctors-stage-protest-demand-justice-for-Kolkata-rape-and-murder-victim/224871
The alarming news is that, from the comforts of Colvale Jail of Goa, some accused of Rape are pressuring the victim to withdraw the case and there is no doubt that the same could have been happening to witness in the other cases too; all because the cases are in a limbo and moving very slowly.
Even in Danielle McLaughlin’s case, there were several promises to fast track the trial, but it never happened and now we are in 86th Month.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/from-jail-rape-accused-call-survivors-ask-them-to-withdraw-cases/articleshow/111792022.cms
The Rape and Murder of Danielle McLaughlin on the intervening night of 13th and 14th March 2017, on the Holi eve, was equally brutal and shocking, the details of which are just too numbing to repeat here again.
The details of entire trial can be found in this section of this publication, dedicated to the trial :
https://99goa.substack.com/s/danielle-mclaughlin-murder-trial
It is expected that Law Minister of Goa, after the Kolkata Doctor Rape incident, would at least take stock of the pending such cases in Goa and see that, Justice is delivered to all, including Danielle, swiftly.
Justice delayed is Justice denied.
We cannot at Goa selectively outrage over one incident of Rape & Murder, while we conveniently forget others, who have suffered gruesomely years ago, and family & friends of whom are still suffering, Hearing by Hearing. 259 , in the case of Danielle.