S.R. SHINDE, 29, Yeravada JailCharge: Petty theftMaximum punishment: Six monthsTime spent as under trial prisoner: 20 monthsTo some, "travesty of justice" is an overused cliche. To Sadashiv Ramchandra Shinde, it is life. He has already served his prison sentence three times over and more - but the ordeal is far from over. Formerly an odd jobs man with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Shinde was arrested in 1996 for stealing a mercury lamp - the street lamps which emit orange light - from the PMC's store. Since then he has been an under trial accused of petty theft. If convicted, Shinde could be sentenced to imprisonment for a minimum of three months and a maximum of six months.The irony is the day Shinde's case is decided by the court, whether he is deemed guilty or innocent, he is a free man. Unable to afford bail, set at Rs 1,000, Shinde has more or less reconciled himself to a long spell in prison. His case comes up for hearing once every fortnight at the Pune Metropolitan Court. He hopes for freedom. All he receives are tareekhs (date extensions). .preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}The irony is the day Shinde's case is decided by the court - be he deemed guilty or innocent - he is a free man. "Every time I am taken to court," he says, "I am only given a new tareekh." Shinde is aware that he should have been out a long time ago: "But it is just my fate. God alone knows when I will be able to go home." Meanwhile, his family - comprising his wife, two sons, aged five and seven, and parents - wistfully await his return. After all, Shinde is the sole breadwinner and the home fires burn slowly while he's away.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Aug 23, 2012--- ENDS ---
