Soft power

Lawyers defending those accused in the Pawan Bansal-related bribes-for-Railway-posts scandal have been arguing for interim bail for their clients until the court takes formal cognisance of the chargesheet that has been filed against them. The judge hearing the pleas offered a unique reason not to grant it. Describing herself as a “soft-hearted” person, she told the lawyers, “Main ek baar kisi ko bahar bula ke kam hi andar bhejti hoon” (if I allow someone out of jail I rarely send them back in again). Which could be considered an elegant way of not providing relief for the accused.