December is the follow-up month at TNM where we go back to headlines of the past for a status update. In this series, we strive to bring the focus back to promises made by governments, revisit official investigations that should have been completed by now and exhume issues of public interest that lost steam over time.
“It has been an arduous journey to pursue justice. We have been losing faith, but we want to continue fighting for it,” says P Radhika, Ramya’s mother, in a feeble voice. She adds, “We are not merely fighting for our family but for everyone. Ours is a social cause. But the legal system is testing our resilience.”
On July 1, 2016, tragedy struck Radhika’s family after a car driven by a student under the influence of alcohol hit the median, crossed over to the other side of the road and collided with their vehicle. The accident resulted in the death of three persons from Radhika’s family, including her nine-year-old daughter Ramya. The horrific incident that took place near Chutneys restaurant in Punjagutta shocked the conscience of Hyderabad. There was an outrage against the government for failing to enforce strict restrictions on bars serving alcohol to underage persons. And the bar – TGIF – which served the student alcohol came under severe scrutiny. The bar was shut down briefly after the accident.
The News Minute followed up on this incident, which prompted a call for the ‘Ramya Act’ – a strict ban on bars and restaurants serving alcohol to persons below the age of 21. Six years later, this case is yet to come to trial. And the family who were assured of a ‘speedy trial’ at the time of the accident feel betrayed. While the Banjara Hills police had filed a chargesheet in the case within four months of the accident, on November 11, 2016, it is the court which is delaying justice, the family alleges.
“The case has not even come to the stage of trial. The legal system wants to destroy our hopes for justice by delaying it. It has been six years… I have to take care of my ailing mother, go to work, look after my family, and simultaneously follow up with the case proceedings. The whole purpose of the delay seems like it is meant to break our spirit. We have been losing faith in the judiciary,” says Venkata Ramana, Ramya’s father.
Venkata Ramana lost his daughter, his brother P Rajesh, and father Madhusudhan Chary in the accident, while Radhika and her brother-in-law P Ramesh sustained injuries. The family were travelling from Secunderabad after picking up Ramya from her school. Police registered it as a case of ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ and two accused were named in the chargesheet. R Shravil, who was driving the car in an inebriated condition, was named as the prime accused. He did not even possess a driving licence. K Vishnu Vineeth, the car’s owner, was named as the second accused. The police also invoked section 326 of the Indian Penal Code (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) along with section 109 (punishment of abetment) against the accused.
On the fateful day, Shravil and his friends went to watch a film in Banjara Hills. But since they could not get tickets, they went to a TGIF bar located in the same facility. After drinking alcohol, Shravil borrowed Vishnu’s car and drove it at high speed in a reckless manner. An inexperienced Shravil lost control of the vehicle and hit a road divider. The vehicle then hit the car coming from the opposite direction, killing all three occupants in it. While Rajesh died on the same day, Ramya succumbed to her injuries nine days later, on July 9. Her grandfather died on July 18.
Both Shravil and his friend Vishnu were subsequently arrested by the police, and both were released on bail.
The case is being heard in the Metropolitan Sessions Court, Hyderabad. Earlier this year, the court discharged the second accused, Vishnu, from the case. Shravil has also filed a plea to relieve himself from the case, says Public Prosecutor K Durgaji. Vishnu’s discharge from the case is being challenged in the High Court. “They (Vishnu’s lawyers) have sought relief under the Motor Vehicles Act, stating that he merely accompanied the accused and was not driving the vehicle. But we challenged the discharge. The trial in the case will begin after the court’s decision,” Durgaji says.
The Public Prosecutor says that there had been a delay in the trial because of pending cases. “There are many old cases from 2002 and 2003 which are still pending. This case will come to trial once these old cases reach trial.”
Meanwhile, Venkata Ramana and Radhika’s family expressed anger at the judiciary and also at the politicians for “failing” them. “We were assured of a speedy trial. Many politicians made promises of justice to us. But all of them have failed. We are yet to get justice for our daughter and my family,” says Radhika. “We are not fighting for our family alone, but for everyone. Nobody should lose their dear ones because of the negligent act of some drunk drivers. The Ramya Act should be implemented and such deaths should be avoided,” she adds.