Having fought for justice for 15 years, Shamima Kausar, mother of Ishrat Jahan who was killed in an alleged fake encounter, has said that she feels hopeless and helpless.
Ishrat, a college student from Mumbra, and three others—Javed Sheikh alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjad Ali Rana and Jishan Johar—were killed in an alleged fake encounter on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on June 15, 2004.
The Gujarat Police had claimed that Ishrat and the other three had come to kill the then chief minister Narendra Modi.
Shamshad Pathan, Shamima's lawyer, on Tuesday submitted a letter to the CBI court in Ahmedabad.
In her letter, addressed to the investigating officer of the CBI, Shamima said that after the prolonged fight for justice, she now feels hopeless and helpless. She also noted that all the accused, including police officers, are on bail and some of them have been reinstated.
Ishrat's mother also seems to be anguished over the fact that the Gujarat government has refused to give sanction to prosecute the officers. The CBI had clearly stated that it was a pre-meditated killing after the four youth were “illegally abducted and confined”.
Shamima also said that she is heartbroken and her spirit shattered at the “perpetuation of this culture of impunity”. She has informed her counsel Vrinda Grover that she has lost the will to fight and can no longer participate in the proceedings before the CBI Court. “The long-drawn and labyrinthine judicial process has exhausted and frustrated me,” she said.
“Perhaps this is present day civil disobedience,” Grover wrote on Facebook. She also questioned as to why Shamima should ask her counsel to be present in the court when all the accused are being discharged thanks to the state's decision. “Will and can the CBI and the court prosecute the accused?,” Grover asked.
The police officers discharged of murder charges include D.G. Vanjhara and N.K. Amin.
Grover, however, told THE WEEK that the case will go on.
