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My sister Jessica got justice due to media

When Sabrina Lal saw Manu Sharma walk free in the murder trial of her sister Jessica Lal, she knocked on the media’s door in a final act of desperation.

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Lhendup Gyatso Bhutia

MUMBAI: When Sabrina Lal saw Manu Sharma walk free in the murder trial of her sister Jessica Lal, she knocked on the media’s door in a final act of desperation. And, by her own admission, she feels the guilty are behind bars today because a determined media kept shining the spotlight on the loopholes of the case, literally forcing the judiciary to take a fresh look. Sabrina Lal tells DNA why media will always be her best friend

Media got us justice
The media proved to be an extremely powerful force that came to our aid. We are not influential people. We have no great contacts and have no great money either. It was the power of the media that enabled us to get justice. When all doors were shut on our faces, it was the media that came to support us.

The manner in which newspapers and television channels came out in our support was commendable. Had it not been for the media, people would have never known about how a family was being denied justice. It was this coverage that made people realise the truth and come out in protests and demonstrations in support of us.
 
Yes, there are negatives too
The media performs a great role in informing the masses, which is its duty. But I also know that there is a negative side to the media, which often covers frivolous issues like what Salman Khan is eating in prison.

There is also the issue of sensationalism. But in my sister’s case and in the case of Priyadarshini Matoo, the media played a crucial role of informing people and thereby ensuring that justice was delivered. As long as there are no lies being written and there is no wrong reporting, I don’t see anything objectionable with the vigilantism of the media.

Media spotlight helps
It is normally the people of the legal fraternity who have an apprehension with such vigilantism of the media. They say that the media is not permitted to undertake such tasks and that it is trying to create a parallel system of its own, thereby in the process disregarding the legal system.

They claim that all people are innocent till proven guilty and hence such acts by the media make innocents seem guilty and thus interfere with the judicial proceedings. But one has to remember that in the end, it is the judge who will decide on cases keeping in mind the evidence available and not because the media projected any case in a particular manner.

I know that many times a case that the media picks up may be biased towards a particular side. But then it is the judge who is the final deciding authority. I don’t see any such complaints against the media when guilty officials are caught accepting bribes.

Media vigilantism is needed
The system we live in is such that there is rampant corruption everywhere. When the media exposes corruption, it is welcome. The media is taking a proactive step to weed out the evils that have crept into our system. It is pressurising the system to be more accountable and responsible.

It is keeping vigilance over our society, ensuring that the truth is out there in the open and making sure that the voice of the common man and the underprivileged section is heard. If media scrutiny is forcing the system to be responsive to the common man then there should be no complaints.

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