Idioms and phrases from THE HINDU editorial “Focus on trial: On central agencies and cases”

Idioms and phrases from THE HINDU editorial “Focus on trial: On central agencies and cases”

The Supreme Court order granting bail to Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K. Kavitha does more than grant relief to a jailed politician; it brings under focus the ill-motivated tactic of using the judicial process and the power of arrest as a tool to hound political opponents. The charge that the Delhi government’s liquor policy was formulated in exchange for crores of rupees to grant a favorable deal to a certain lobby is quite serious, warranting a thorough investigation and fair prosecution. However, the focus of the Centre and its agencies seems to be entirely on keeping some political figures imprisoned in the run-up to the trial. In oral observations, a Bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan has questioned the fairness of the investigation, especially because the agency has cited some of those apparently involved as witnesses, while seeking pardon for some arrested suspects so that they could testify as approvers. After a spell during which the courts were reticent to disregard the vehement objections by the prosecution to the grant of bail, the judiciary has now begun to see through the attempt to use the bail-denying features of the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act (PMLA) to keep adversaries in prison for long. The Court had earlier granted bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal (still in jail in a CBI case on the same allegations) and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

Ms. Kavitha has been accused of arranging the alleged deal between the Delhi government and a ‘south lobby’. It is notable that the political leaders have all been implicated by witnesses who themselves appear to be involved in the case and accused who have turned approvers. The Bench has questioned the Delhi High Court’s failure to give her the benefit of a proviso to Section 45 of the PMLA, which allows the grant of bail to women, merely on the ground that she was educated and not a “vulnerable” woman. The mere fact that the investigation by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate is over was enough to grant bail. Instead of vehemently objecting to bail, and spending their time filing lengthy replies to a spate of bail petitions in various courts, prosecutors should concentrate on building a water-tight case. They should now focus on opening the trial and concluding it within a reasonable time-frame. The agencies concerned should remember that headlines that cite fabulous sums of money allegedly paid as bribes and thousand-page charge sheets can impress only a few. Trial courts would surely prefer concrete evidence and reliable testimony backed by relevant documents.

1)  Bring under focus

• Meaning: To highlight or draw attention to something specific.

• Example: "The recent scandal has brought the company's financial practices under focus."

2)  Ill-motivated tactic

• Meaning: A strategy or action driven by unethical or harmful intentions.

• Example: "The opposition accused the ruling party of using ill-motivated tactics to discredit their leaders."

3)  Fair prosecution

• Meaning: Legal proceedings that are conducted justly, without bias or favoritism.

• Example: "The defendant’s lawyer demanded a fair prosecution, free from political influence."

4)  Run-up to the trial

• Meaning: The period leading up to the start of a legal trial or significant event.

• Example: "In the run-up to the trial, the defense team gathered crucial evidence to support their case."

5)  See through

• Meaning: To realize or understand the true nature of something, often something deceptive.

• Example: "The judge saw through the prosecution’s attempt to delay the proceedings."

6)  Turned approvers

• Meaning: When accused individuals agree to testify for the prosecution in exchange for leniency or immunity.

• Example: "Two of the accused turned approvers, providing key testimony against the main suspect."

7)  Spate of

• Meaning: A large number of similar events occurring in quick succession.

• Example: "The company faced a spate of lawsuits after the product recall."

8)  Water-tight case

• Meaning: A legal case that is so strong and well-supported by evidence that it is unlikely to be challenged successfully.

• Example: "The prosecution claimed they had a water-tight case against the accused."

9)  Concrete evidence

• Meaning: Strong and undeniable proof or information that supports a claim or argument.

• Example: "The jury was convinced by the concrete evidence presented during the trial."

10)  Vehemently objecting

• Meaning: Strongly or passionately opposing something.

• Example: "The defense lawyer vehemently objected to the admission of the new evidence."