'Justice should not be revenge', says CJI SA Bobde a day after Hyderabad encounter

New Delhi, Dec 07: Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde on Saturday said that justice should not be revenge.

"Justice should not be revenge. I believe Justice loses its character as Justice if it becomes revenge," the newly-appointed Chief Justice stressed.

His statement comes at the backdrop of pre-dawn enconter of all four accused in the rape and murder of a young Hyderabad veterinarian.

"Recent events in country have sparked off the old debate with new vigour. There is no doubt that criminal justice system must reconsider its position and attitude towards laxity and eventual time it takes to dispose off criminal matters, " the CJI said in Jodhpur.

"I don't think justice can ever be or ought to be instant. And justice must never ever take the form of revenge. I believe justice loses its character of justice if it becomes a revenge," he added.

Earlier in the day, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad urged the Chief Justice of India and other senior judges to ensure that there is a mechanism to monitor quick disposal of rape cases, saying that the women of the country are under pain and distress and crying for justice.

"I would urge the CJI and other senior judge that now there must be a mechanism to monitor the disposal of these cases so that India's stature as a proud country governed by rule of law must be restored at the earliest," Prasad said, and assured government funding for it.

Four accused in the horrific rape and murder case of the Hyderabad vet were killed in a pre-dawn encounter yesterday. Mohammed, 26, Jollu Shiva, Jollu Naveen, and Chintakunta Chennakeshavulu, all 20 years of age were shot dead when they tried to escape from the crime scene after snatching the weapon from the police.

The four accused were taken to the scene where the rape and murder had taken place. The police had taken the accused to re-construct the crime scene at around 3.30 am. This is a procedure that is mandated under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

As the process was taking place, one of the accused snatched the weapon from the police and tried to escape along with the rest of the accused. One of them even opened fire, following which the police had to retaliate and opened fire on the accused persons.

All the four accused were taken to hospital but succumbed to their injuries.