Reform convicts: Sudhansu Jyoti Mukhopadhaya

Visakhapatnam: Supreme Court Judge Sudhansu Jyoti Mukhopadhaya said that the duty of judges is not just limited to taking penal action but also to pronounce such judgments that lead to reform of the convicts.

Justice Mukhopadhaya was in Vizag on Saturday along with Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana High Court, Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta to deliver a lecture on Dynamics of Criminal Justice System in India at the Damaodaram Sanjivayya National Law University.

Speaking on the topic, Justice Mukhopadhaya said, “While punishments in criminal cases should be strong enough that they prove a deterrent, a judgment should be such that it takes care of victim as well as the convict. When a convict returns back to society after serving his time, he should be a reformed man so that he does not turn into a danger for society again. Along with this, the district judges should also carefully utilise the minimum and maximum options in awarding punishments while in their judgments so as to benefit the victim.”

He explained his point further by saying, “If a person has been convicted for a road accident then it makes sense in reducing his prison term, while making him pay hefty penalty to the victim’s family.” Justice Mukhopadhaya further said that in criminal cases the judges should expedite the cases so that neither the victim nor the accused feel that injustice is being done to them. However, it should also be kept in mind, justice hurried is justice buried.

Justice Mukhopadhaya also spoke about the rise in number of crimes against women, especially rape cases and said that one of the reasons behind this is that definition of rape and other crimes against women have been broadened. He further added, “It is the duty of parents, particularly the mother, to teach the kids not to discriminate between the two genders. Crime against women is a social menace and the society has to become vigilant,” he added.