'Honoring due process of law': Jayant Sinha after row over garlanding lynching convicts

New Delhi:  Union Minister Jayant Sinha gave rise to a political storm by welcoming eight men who were convicted in the Ramgarh lynching case in Jharkhand with a garland. Justifying his actions, Sinha said that the Ranchi High Court has suspended the sentence of the accused and released them on bail. In a picture that has gone viral, the Union Minister could be seen garlanding the convicts in the Ramgarh lynching case in Jharkhand at his residence on the outskirts of Hazaribagh. Responding to the heavy criticism, the Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation said on Twitter, "In the Ramgarh case (mob lynching), the Ranchi High Court, which is the first court of appeal, has suspended the sentence of the accused and released them on bail while admitting their case. The case will once again be re-heard."

I have full faith in our judicial system and the rule of law. Unfortunately, irresponsible statements are being made about my actions when all that I am doing is honoring the due process of law. Those that are innocent will be spared and the guilty will be appropriately punished.

— Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) July 7, 2018

I have repeatedly expressed my misgivings about the Fast-Track Court judgement sentencing each accused to life imprisonment. I am pleased that the Hon'ble High Court will hear the matter as a statutory court of appeal to test the correctness of the Fast-Track Court order.

— Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) July 7, 2018

In the Ramgarh case, the Hon'ble Ranchi High Court, which is the first court of appeal, has suspended the sentence of the accused and released them on bail while admitting their case. The case will once again be re-heard.

— Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) July 7, 2018

I unequivocally condemn all acts of violence and reject any type of vigilantism. The rule of law is supreme in our constitutional democracy. Any unlawful acts, particularly those that violate the rights of any citizen, should be punished with the full force of the law.

— Jayant Sinha (@jayantsinha) July 7, 2018

Sinha further said that he has full faith in our judiciary and that those who are innocent would be spared while the guilty would be appropriately punished. "I have full faith in our judiciary and rule of law. Unfortunately, irresponsible statements are being made about my actions when all that I am doing is honoring due process of law. Those that are innocent will be spared and guilty will be appropriately punished," he said. He added, "I have repeatedly expressed my misgivings about the Fast-Track Court judgement sentencing each accused to life imprisonment. I am pleased that the Hon'ble High Court will hear the matter as a statutory court of appeal to test the correctness of the Fast-Track Court order." Sinha, who represents the Hazaribagh seat in Lok Sabha, yesterday felicitated eight men convicted for killing a Muslim meat trader in Jharkhand last year. He has had the privilege of studying at some of the prestigious educational institutions like IIT Delhi and Harvard Business School. An act like this doesn't justify his stature. His father, Yashwant Sinha, once a stalwart of the BJP, recently quit the party. In the past few years, he left no opportunity to lambaste the saffron party. A Ramgarh Court had sentenced the 11 accused, in connection with the Alimuddin murder case in Ramgarh district to a lifetime in prison. Alimuddin, also known as Asgar Ansari, was intercepted by a mob and beaten to death in June last year over suspicions of transporting beef in his vehicle near Bazartand village. The mob later set the vehicle ablaze. Following the lynching incident, section 144 was imposed in Ramgarh. (With inputs from ANI)