Hindi English Translation || Editorial || ​Delay and bail: On former Tamil Nadu Minister V. Senthilbalaji’s case

​Delay and bail: On former Tamil Nadu Minister V. Senthilbalaji’s case

Senthilbalaji’s release on bail was overdue, but he should not be made a Minister

Bail is no boon (वरदान, लाभ). It is a routine relief for anyone arrested and kept in custody (हिरासत में) to give the investigating agency (जांच एजेंसियां) enough time to gather evidence about an offence (अपराध, गैरकानूनी कार्य) without the risk of interference (हस्तक्षेप, दखल) by the suspect (संदिग्ध व्यक्ति, आरोपी). In fraught (चिंतित, तनावपूर्ण) times when agencies are seen as political weapons of the ruling (सत्तारूढ़) dispensation (व्यवस्था), the release of a political functionary (पदाधिकारी, कार्यकारी) such as former Tamil Nadu Minister V. Senthilbalajion conditional bail (सशर्त जमानत) becomes a cause (कारण) for celebration among his party colleagues. The allegations (आरोप) against him are quite serious, and a spell (period, term, session, turn) of imprisonment (incarceration, captivity, custody, arrest, restraint, confinement, internment, detention) once a serious investigation was taken up was not surprising. However, his prolonged (लंबा) incarceration (कारावास) on the charge (accusation, allegation) of money laundering (a secret act of moving illegally acquired funds into legal bank accounts or investments) gave the criminal proceedings (inquiry, hearing, investigation, litigation, examination, legal proceedings) against him a political colour (point, appearance, hue, tone, shade). After over 15 months, he has obtained bail from the Supreme Court of India. While courts have been reluctant (unwilling, hesitant, resistant, averse, disinclined) to grant bail in money laundering cases, it was only a matter of time before the courts began reiterating that bail is the norm (standard, convention, regulation), and jail the exception (anomaly, irregularity, deviation, special case, departure, abnormality, oddity). It is a welcome sign that the Court feels no more constrained (restrict, limit, restrain, hold back) by the bail-denying features (aspect, point, factor) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and similar laws. Its concern has now rightly shifted to the possible violation (contravention, infringement, breach, breaking, lack of compliance with, non-observance, defiance) of the remand prisoners (A person who is being kept in custody while he/she waits for his/her trial or sentencing)’ constitutional rights (the protections and liberties guaranteed to the people by the Constitution) in the form of protracted (lengthy, extended, prolonged, unending, unrelenting) delay in commencing and conducting the trial (court case, lawsuit, hearing, inquiry, legal proceedings, proceedings, legal action). Therefore, long imprisonment without hope of an early trial has become a justified (apt, legitimate, proper, reasonable, rightful, well-deserved) ground for grant of bail.

In Mr. Senthilbalaji’s case, the PMLA charge arose from the allegation that when he was Transport Minister in the erstwhile (old, previous, former, then) AIADMK regime (government, administration), he had collected bribes through his associates (supporter) from job aspirants in his department, but ultimately (eventually, finally, at last, in the end) those who had paid for jobs did not get any appointment. The police case regarding (concerning, in respect of, with regard to, with reference to) this has resulted in (cause, bring on, bring about, call forth, give rise to) six charge sheets (an official document on which a police officer enters details of the charge against a person). The Court has noted that the final decision in his PMLA case can come only after the trial in respect of these cases. The former Minister, a defector (betrayer, turncoat, traitor (a person who changes sides)) from the AIADMK to the DMK, enjoys unwavering (steady, fixed, resolute, firm, steadfast, determined, unrelenting, unchanging) support from his present party, to the extent that Chief Minister and DMK President M.K. Stalin has extolled (to praise someone/something highly; glorify, laud, acclaim, applaud) his “sacrifice” and “resolve (determination, willpower, firmness, resolution, courage)”. However, this demonstration of support from one side and loyalty from the other should not mean that the gravity (seriousness, importance, magnitude, severity, intensity) of the offence involved should be forgotten. After all (above all, most importantly, basically, ultimately), Mr. Stalin himself had, while he was in the Opposition and Mr. Senthilbalaji a Minister, highlighted (emphasize, underscore, underline, accentuate, point up, call attention to, focus attention on) the allegations and demanded action. Mr. Senthilbalaji’s entry into the DMK may have changed the political equations (the situation (or) the problem, the quandary, the predicament) between them. However, the cause of justice for the victims (sufferer) of the job scandal (impropriety, misconduct, wrongdoing) and a fair (just, honest, impartial, unbiased, unprejudiced, non-partisan) trial for the accused (the suspect) would be served (be of use in achieving something; be useful, be beneficial to) well if Mr. Stalin avoids inducting (admit, allow, appoint, swear into) Mr. Senthilbalaji again in his Cabinet until he is cleared (acquit, declare innocent, find not guilty, exonerate, vindicate) of the charges.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.prolonged (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - लंबा
English Meaning - lengthy, extended, protracted, unending, unrelenting.

2.boon (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वरदान, लाभ
English Meaning - blessing, benefit, advantage, gain, asset.

3.in custody (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - हिरासत में
English Meaning - in prison.

4.investigating agencies (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जांच एजेंसियां
English Meaning - India has a number of investigating agencies like The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), The National Investigation Agency (NIA), The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and others.

5.offence (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अपराध, गैरकानूनी कार्य
English Meaning - crime, illegal/unlawful act, wrongdoing.

6.interference (noun)

Hindi Meaning - हस्तक्षेप, दखल
English Meaning - intervention, involvement, meddling, intrusion.

7.suspect (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संदिग्ध व्यक्ति, आरोपी
English Meaning - suspected person, accused,

8.fraught (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - चिंतित, तनावपूर्ण
English Meaning - worried, troubled, stressful, overwrought, distressed, agitated, distracted, frantic, desperate, distraught (and with many problems).

9.ruling (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सत्तारूढ़
English Meaning - reigning, incumbent, present, existing.

10.dispensation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - व्यवस्था
English Meaning - administration, system, regime, authority; power, command.

11.functionary (noun)

Hindi Meaning - पदाधिकारी, कार्यकारी
English Meaning - office-holder, office-bearer, administrator, representative.

12.incarceration (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कारावास
English Meaning - imprisonment, captivity, custody, arrest, restraint, confinement, internment, detention.

13.conditional bail (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सशर्त जमानत
English Meaning - the release of an accused from custody while awaiting trial under specific conditions set by the court.

14.cause (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कारण
English Meaning - reason, grounds, basis, motive, pretext.

15.allegation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आरोप
English Meaning - charge, accusation, indictment.

16.spell (noun)

English Meaning - period, term, session, turn.

17.imprisonment (noun)

English Meaning - incarceration, captivity, custody, arrest, restraint, confinement, internment, detention.

18.take up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - start, begin, commence, engage in, take part in.

19.overdue (adjective)

English Meaning - pending, remaining, outstanding, delayed, belated.

20.bail (noun)

English Meaning - conditional, temporary release of an arrested/imprisoned person when a specified amount of security is deposited or pledged (as cash or property) to ensure his/her appearance in court when required.

21.charge (noun)

English Meaning - accusation, allegation.

22.money laundering (noun)

English Meaning - a secret act of moving illegally acquired funds into legal bank accounts or investments.

23.proceedings (noun)

English Meaning - inquiry, hearing, investigation, litigation, examination, legal proceedings.

24.colour (noun)

English Meaning - point, appearance, hue, tone, shade.

25.reluctant (adjective)

English Meaning - unwilling, hesitant, resistant, averse, disinclined.

26.it is only a matter of time (phrase)

English Meaning - if you say that something is just a matter of time, you mean that it is certain to occur at some time in the future.

27.reiterate (verb)

English Meaning - say something again; say again, repeat, retell, restate, iterate, recapitulate

28.norm (noun)

English Meaning - standard, convention, regulation.

29.exception (noun)

English Meaning - anomaly, irregularity, deviation, special case, departure, abnormality, oddity.

30.welcome (adjective)

English Meaning - pleasing, agreeable, favourable, promising, much needed.

31.constrain (noun)

English Meaning - restrict, limit, restrain, hold back.

32.feature (noun)

English Meaning - aspect, point, factor.

33.Prevention of Money-Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 (noun)

English Meaning - It is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted by the NDA government to prevent money-laundering and to provide for confiscation of property derived from money-laundering.

34.violation (noun)

English Meaning - contravention, infringement, breach, breaking, lack of compliance with, non-observance, defiance.

35.remand (noun)

English Meaning - pre-trial detention, preventive detention, or provisional detention.

36.remand prisoner (noun)

English Meaning - A person who is being kept in custody while he/she waits for his/her trial or sentencing.

37.constitutional rights (noun)

English Meaning - the protections and liberties guaranteed to the people by the Constitution.

38.protracted (adjective)

English Meaning - lengthy, extended, prolonged, unending, unrelenting.

39.trial (noun)

English Meaning - court case, lawsuit, hearing, inquiry, legal proceedings, proceedings, legal action.

40.justified (adjective)

English Meaning - apt, legitimate, proper, reasonable, rightful, well-deserved.

41.ground (noun)

English Meaning - cause, reason, basis, rationale, factor.

42.erstwhile (adjective)

English Meaning - old, previous, former, then.

43.regime (noun)

English Meaning - government, administration.

44.associate (noun)

English Meaning - supporter.

45.ultimately (adverb)

English Meaning - eventually, finally, at last, in the end.

46.regarding (preposition)

English Meaning - concerning, in respect of, with regard to, with reference to.

47.result in (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - cause, bring on, bring about, call forth, give rise to.

48.charge sheet (noun)

English Meaning - an official document on which a police officer enters details of the charge against a person.

49.in respect of (phrase)

English Meaning - concerning, regarding, with regard to, with reference to.

50.defector (noun)

English Meaning - betrayer, turncoat, traitor (a person who changes sides).

51.unwavering (adjective)

English Meaning - steady, fixed, resolute, firm, steadfast, determined, unrelenting, unchanging.

52.extol (verb)

English Meaning - to praise someone/something highly; glorify, laud, acclaim, applaud.

53.resolve (noun)

English Meaning - determination, willpower, firmness, resolution, courage.

54.gravity (noun)

English Meaning - seriousness, importance, magnitude, severity, intensity.

55.after all (noun)

English Meaning - above all, most importantly, basically, ultimately.

56.highlight (verb)

English Meaning - emphasize, underscore, underline, accentuate, point up, call attention to, focus attention on.

57.equation (noun)

English Meaning - the situation (or) the problem, the quandary, the predicament.

58.victim (noun)

English Meaning - sufferer.

59.scandal (noun)

English Meaning - impropriety, misconduct, wrongdoing.

60.fair (adjective)

English Meaning - just, honest, impartial, unbiased, unprejudiced, non-partisan.

61.the accused (noun)

English Meaning - the suspect.

62.serve (verb)

English Meaning - be of use in achieving something; be useful, be beneficial to.

63.induct (verb)

English Meaning - admit, allow, appoint, swear into.

64.clear (verb)

English Meaning - acquit, declare innocent, find not guilty, exonerate, vindicate.