If you cherished Salman verdict, you must also know Ajay Chaurasia!

Do you know Ajay Chaurasia?

Most likely you have no idea who he is.

…but you certainly know who is Salman Khan.

You also know that recently Salman was acquitted from Bombay High Court.

Last May Sessions Court sentenced him for 5 years imprisonment and within 7 months his appeal was heard and he walked free.

Now you may ask, how is Ajay Chaurasia related to Salman’s case?

The only thing common between Salman Khan’s case and Ajay Chaurasia’s story is that both had appealed in Bombay High Court against their convictions by the lower courts.

However, Salman Khan got justice in just 7 months. Guess since how long Ajay Chaurasia’s appeal is pending with Bombay High Court?

Since 7 YEARS! Yes the same figure 7 ! Salman is fortunate that his case was disposed off in 7 MONTHS  & Ajay is making rounds of court since last 7 YEARS.

This Ajay Chaurasia doesn’t earn in millions like Salman Khan. He works as a decorator for wedding parties and hardly manages to earn around 10 to 12 thousands rupees per month.

He doesn’t stay in plush Galaxy Apartment at the sea face of Bandra. Ajay resides in a small room of a chawl at Kalyan, 60 kilometres away from Mumbai.

What crime Ajay has committed?

He is not charged with drunken driving causing death of somebody sleeping on footpath.

His story begins in 2006 when he fell in love with a girl from neighbourhood.

As the girl’s family was against the marriage, both ran away and got married.

The girl was few days short to attain marriageable age.

Girl’s family registered a complaint with cops & Ajay’s brother was picked up.

When Ajay got the news of torture to his brother by cops, he decided to surrender.

After returning, the girl decided to leave him & toed the line of her parents.

Police charged Ajay with kidnapping and rape.

Next year in 2007, he was sentenced to jail for 7 years.

In 2008 while Ajay was in Nasik Jail, he filed an appeal against his conviction in Bombay High Court and this appeal is yet to be disposed even after 7 years.

Out of 7 years which Ajay has been sentenced, he has already spent 5 years in jail as he was able to get bail only in 2011 after a social organisation took over his case.

Remember, when Salman was sentenced for 5 years jail, he didn’t go behind the bars even for a moment. Moreover, that day the clerk’s office closed 3 hours later than the regular time.

Like Salman Khan, Ajay is also still unmarried. (His earlier marriage was declared illegal)

The only difference is that Salman is not marrying willingly whereas nobody wants to get their daughter wed to Ajay who has been stamped as a criminal and who doesn’t know what’s in store for his future. He still makes rounds of court date after date in hope of justice. Sometimes he makes over 20 rounds a year.

There are many like Ajay who are hoping for justice in our heavily burdened judicial system. There are over 40 lakhs cases in various High Courts across the country. Around 10 % of these cases are pending over 10 years.  Just in Bombay High Court there are over 3,75,000 pending cases. In lower courts of Maharashtra there are around 30 lakhs pending cases. But, fortunately for Salman, the speed of justice was different! Fast!

When you compare Salman’s case with Ajay’s, certain questions arise in your mind. However, I have full faith on our judiciary. Everybody is equal in the eyes of law. Everybody is equal as per our constitution. Ajay Chaurasia should also understand this.