Click to play videoNew Delhi: Even as court ruled that businessman Sanjeev Nanda was guilty of mowing down six people under his BMW car nine years ago, reactions started pouring in from various sections of the society, from the family and friends of other accident victims, who have been waiting endlessly for a judgement in their favour.
Neelam Krishnamoorthy, who lost both her children in the Uphaar fire tragedy said, "The verdict sends a very strong message. We are hopeful that this will help reduce casualities on the road. I hope this trend of punishing the rich and the powerful will continue."
Socialite Bina Ramani, who was one of the key witnesses in the Jessica Lall murder case added, "The public hue and cry and the media has made a major difference in so many similar cases. I hope the judiciary, the police and the media will get together to deliver justice in the very begining and not let cases be delayed like this one."
"The justice system has finally kicked in. People are getting convicted irrespective of who they are and their background. Drunken driving a huge problem in the city. Jessica's case took nine years and this too took nine years. This is a problem the justice system should be looking into, but better late than never," said Jessica Lall's sister, Sabrina Lall.
"Defence is very powerful and the victim is powerful too. The accused are trying to get away from the clutches of the law and avoid punished. So this is the result of all that. It is absolutely up to the court. The evidence is on record and what they believe is correct. Every verdict of the High Court and the Supreme Court becomes a case on which future judgement can be relied. People will try to take help from the judgement," added former police commissioner Ajay Raj Sharma.
For the victims' families, it is a sense of relief at the moment. However, one of the victim's wives, Phula Devi says, "I don't think anything is going to happen after this. I have lost all hope."
Sanjeev Nanda, grandson of a former Navy chief, was allegedly drunk when he mowed down three policemen and three bystanders on January 10, 1999, in Lodhi Colony in south Delhi.
A Delhi court found Nanda guilty under the Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), dealing with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The law prescribes 10 years imprisonment as maximum punishment.
Nanda's friend Manik Kapoor, who was with him in the car, was declared not guilty. The court will announce punishments in the case on Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, Sanjeev Nanda's lawyer, RK Anand said, "At best it should have been a case of rash and negligent driving but not culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Accidents should be treated like accidents. There have been cases of accidents before and after this case, they have been seen as accidents and not as rash and negligent driving."
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.