Sep 01, 2017: Anand’s cases adjourned to next year
Anand goes to court Friday, charged with two offences
Former Attorney General, Anand Ramlogan, was today charged with misbehaviour in public office and obstruction of justice arising from allegations contained in a report made by David West to the Commissioner of Police, on January 28th, 2015.
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After 12-hour interrogation of ex-AG Ramlogan: Cops go to DPP today
By Gail Alexander
August 30, 2017 – guardian.co.tt
Former attorney general Anand Ramlogan was under arrest last night awaiting a decision on his fate this morning.
After 12 hours of questioning following his dawn arrest by police yesterday, Ramlogan remained in custody at Police Headquarters, Port-of-Spain. This in connection with the witness-tampering allegations made against him in 2015 by Police Complaints Authority chairman David West —a probe of which now appears to have reached a head.
Last night, after prolonged questioning and copious notes supplied by Ramlogan, one of his attorneys, Gerald Ramdeen, told the T&T Guardian police were going to seek instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. This would likely be on whether to charge Ramlogan today.
Another of his attorneys, Pamela Elder, SC, said last night that the interview process was a long, exhaustive one.
“It’s quite likely the situation will go into (today). I have no problem with the way the matter’s proceeding. It’s being done fairly,” Elder said.
The shock arrest of the former People’s Partnership AG began a day of drama for Ramlogan, his family and colleagues.
It started around 5.30 am when a large party of Fraud Squad police led by deputy Commissioner of Police Harold Phillip, in a detail of almost ten vehicles, swooped down on Ramlogan’s Palmiste, San Fernando home.
Full Article : guardian.co.tt
Flashback: Should AG Ramlogan cease to hold office? Daly, Yes
ANAND GRILLED
By NALINEE SEELAL
August 30 2017 – newsday.co.tt
FOR more than 12 hours yesterday, senior police investigators grilled former attorney general Anand Ramlogan in a witness tampering case which stems from a defamation lawsuit he filed in 2015 against Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, who, at the time, was the opposition leader.
In response, Ramlogan, 47, submitted a 40-page statement which the police were reviewing before consulting Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard on the filing of charges against the senior counsel.
Ramlogan is accused of attempting to pervert the course of public justice by allegedly asking Police Complaints Authority director David West to withdraw as Rowley’s witness in exchange for his appointment as head of the agency.
Ramlogan, who served under the People’s Partnership administration, had sued Rowley over claims he made about him regarding the controversial Section 34 clause of the Administration of Justice Act and the extradition proceedings of businessmen Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson.
Attorney Gerald Ramdeen, who is also a UNC senator, confirmed Ramlogan gave a statement to police.
“He has just given a statement and they are going over it now,” Ramdeen told Newsday at about 7.55 pm.
Ramdeen could not say how much longer Ramlogan would be detained or if he would have been released.
“I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful at this stage,” he said.
Full Article : newsday.co.tt
The rise of a dictatorship. When Sat Sharma was arrested they sent in special opts, helicopter, tracker dog and military armed to the teeth. When Ramlogan is arrested 12 police car show up at his door, ripping apart his house with the excuse of looking for evidence.
In contrast when Abu was arrested they made a phone call “boss can you come in”.
Folks it is no surprise that the current PM lied against Ramlogan and had to pay for his mouth. With Le Hunte a citizen of Ghana sworn in as Public Utilities minister he is perhaps the first of many from that country. As Rowley went on a recruitment drive knowing black folks work better with foreigners.As the sea bridge debacle unflured like a bomb ladden with pnm boobolees, Rowley nerded a distraction so his croonies in the police force attempts to humilate a prominent citizen . The forces that opposed Kamla have disappeared, strange none can be heard. No daily protest, no long fast, no mannequin dolls, no spitting of water in the air, no daily headlines stirring high passion, no dramatic display of men marching unannounced.
Yes folks dictators don’t like Opposition. They move to get rid of 3/5 majority in Parliament. Dictators control free press so ttt returns under new management filled with loyal party hacks. They control the police force appointing loyalist to key positions.
Since colonialism every African nation have suffered political, social and economic uncertainty. Dictators have ruled and controlled suppressing the people.
Today with another budget looming one can expect the rise of thieves, murderers and the poor because dictators are all about themselves and never the people .
Mamoo Man, like you “forget to rembember” who is the Hosts and who is the Guests, or who is the planter class…LOL…..This is Comedic Scarcasm.
Good for the Police. If only they would pursue the over 300 unsolved murders with equal enthusiasm!
There is no doubt that this case would generate of lot of responses that pit a staunch UNC defensive posture on one side, while others might see the action as non-political. As for me, there are two actions, taken by the last PP government that struck me as being ultra vires the constitution. We live in a democracy, where there is a strong will to compete for the hearts and minds of the people but there is reason to self-regulate the enthusiasm by which goals are accomplished. The first action that went way too far, is the lynching of Dr. Rowley’s adult past and his personal relationship with his family. This was pursued as a Parliamentary procedure, debated in Parliament, as a court of law. The goal was to prove that Dr. Rowley, as Opposition Leader was and continues to be a rapist. Not only him but his late father was persecuted also persecuted along with him. This was a most disgusting and uncivil act. The other was Anand Ramlogan, using the appointment of David West as PCA Chairman to gain favor or curry favor for him to change his testimony in favor of what Ramlogan wanted it to be. Both these actions were sanctioned by the then Attorney General Anand Ramlogan.
For those who favor Anand, my statement makes me a ‘PNM’. For me, it is my love for the constitutional, that guarantees each and every one of us from over-zealous persecution. One of the things that the constitution tries to accomplish is respect for the individual and respect for law and order. When that line is crossed, not only do we loose respect for each other, but we also use politics to blur the lines between respect and distrust of the constitution. One does not have to be a constitutional expert, to know that there are safeguards that are guaranteed to each and everyone of us. The UNC, in it’s push for power and authority, over stepped its bounds to prosecute Dr. Rowley and deprive Diego Martin West of it’s representative in Parliament.
In both these cases Anand Ramlogan was a key player. So, it comes as no great surprise to me, that he should be held accountable to present his case in a court of law for his actions.
His supporters will of course neglect to deem him responsible for his actions as Attorney General. Every senior post in the structure of forming a government is laid out and no one has ultimate powers. There were several mis-judgements during his tenure and I’m glad that he will now be given the opportunity in a court of law to explain his actions.
The PNM plan is simple go after Anand, Rudy and Kams. They will send in helicopter gunships to arrest the other two in the dead of the night along with tracker dogs and special opts guys doing the dirty work.
The 1% are not happy that so many Indian own businesses got so many contracts. When massa is unhappy he starts to act up and order the slaves around. The courts are “fixed” with judges educated by the balisier secret scholarship program which ran from 1956 to 2010. Manning putting a lot of tax dollars to educate PNMites. They owe balisier house their livelihood. They have to deliver judgments in favour of the current administration.
The 1% will use the slave class to go after these Indo businessmen and seek to humiliate them in a naked display of arrogance and unchecked lucubation. Using TTT to produce nightly headlines of “corruption” and influence public opinion. Near election time they will bring out the “accused” to remind the balisier crowd who will be angry, hurt and starving why they deserve another five years. They are dangerous thugs who can use the police and army to demonstrate to the black man how powerful they are…black folks enjoys such aggression. The hungry, hurt and starving balisier crowd will take to the Internet to launch an attack on the PP. They will vent their anger against Kamla and team in a united effort to divide the nation further. Don’t think for one minute they care about TNT, all they care about is raiding the treasury.
Mamoo, you funny.
But I find it strange.. Where is Franklyn Khan, Farris Al Rawi, Rohan Sinanan, Terrence Deyalsingh.. Where are the Indian voices in The PNM with regards to this Moonilal issue? Maybe I missed it somewhere… but somehow they went silent.
https://youtu.be/aI7dPQa7mfY
Even though the charges laid down on Anand Ram may look formidable,he is innocent until proven guilty, hopefully, the chickens will come home to roost, and all will be revealed, the court processes and time, will be the judge.
So far the charges are based on allegations. Yet, Kamla asked him (Ramlogan) to step down from that AG post. Interestingly, it was Gumbs that broke the story to the press at the time and truly a lot will be revealed and the public will demand such since one of the charges is causing public mischief.
https://youtu.be/XpF61WaeL90
Jail eh make to ripe fig.. Ent?
Law Association concerned about comments made by politicians
THE Law Association yesterday expressed concern about comments made by two practising politicians in relation to former attorney general Anand Ramlogan’s detainment by police.
In a statement, the association said the politicians described the detention as a ploy to distract attention away from the escalating murder rate, the Tobago ferry “fiasco” and the revocation of the appointment of the Minister of Public Utilities Robert Le Hunte.
The association said such accusations called into question the independence of the police service and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and undermine public confidence in the administration of justice.
Let us hope the unbaised DPP disclosed the result of the emailgate investigation which was recently concluded. It was of far more serious consequence since the former AG name was included in those emails along with the former prime minister.
We know the Calder file is there in that office also. Bring it out.
When issues of law and order arise, they expose the true nature of our hidden prejudices and racial impulses. The reaction to the arrest and subsequent charging of Anand Ramlogan, for misbehaving in public office and obstruction of justice, seems to energize that natural desire to call actions taken by the administration they don’t feel comfortable with racial, regardless of the nature of the offenses.
For those who are now lashing out against this arrest, they must first be reminded that these issues are NOT new. It was the main reason why, under the administration of Kamla Persad Bissessar, Ramlogan was FIRED for his behavior. Equally reckless, was the firing of Gary Griffith as National Security Minister, because he did not want to accede to the wishes of Anand to tell lies on his behalf. THESE ARE UNREFUTED FACTS!!!!
So, why the hypocrisy? Why is the outburst of calling the arrest dictatorship? Why is the necessity to call the arrest RACIAL as Roodal Moonilal contends??? Why is the heightening of racial tensions by Indian political activists? Why is the application of laws be considered different when Indians run afoul of the law? Why is the pursuit of justice good when Rowley is charged and not good when Ramlogan is charged? Why is it OK to bring the notoriety of Dr. Rowley’s personal past a matter for parliamentary debate and the misbehavior of Anand Ramlogan while in office, as an officer of the law, not a responsible act????
The answers lie in who is doing it. The cry of racial oppression is the one act that always generated sympathy from African authorities in the past 150 years. And it is always expected to work every time the tactic is employed.
We are operating in different times now and it is high time that we start calling a spade a spade, regardless of the color or ethnicity of the spade. Let us all allow the justice system to deal with the nature of the charges and give their verdicts based on the evidence presented, and not try to color it with the evil call of injustice.
It is difficult to deny “political preference and interference” when the apparently concluded investigations on emailgate and Calder Hart have been rumoured to be concluded but being held by the DPP.
In contrast,The powers seem to be determined to rush the Ramlogan file which will probably see endless court battles, since it is a case of one man’s word against the other.
Let the courts decide the fate of the accused, but the optics are not favourable to the government or to any democratic country when the judiciary and the executive seem to be in collusion. This is not the first example of this apparent collusion as one recalls the recent judge appointment fiasco and the later supportive reaction of the PM himself to the blunder of the chief justice. The question at this particular juncture has to be asked: Is the PM, the CJ and the Chief of Police in collusion? If the answer is in the affirmative, it is indeed a sad day for the Republic.
The police service seems to be an ally of the pnm offering full allegiance to the pnm.The independence of the police service has been compromised as political tentacles have contaminated this organization.
The show of force involving 12 police vehicles is cause for concern and shows how senior officers comply with political directives.Are we becoming a police state?Who is running the police service?What is motivating the upper echelons of the police service to become political agents?
The wider international community must take note of what is happening as they may have to intervene to preserve a democracy.
Just imagine it’s 2014 and Kamla’s the prime minister and:
1. Irregularities appear to have occurred in the purchase of a Tobago ferry
2. A former PNM cabinet minister has been arrested and charged based on statements he allegedly made
3. Kamla has attempted to appoint a dual citizen of the Republic of India to her Cabinet
I wonder what would have happened?
At a minimum, people who ‘look UNC’ would have been pulled out of maxi taxis and beaten to a pulp!
Mamboo #5
I wish I could hear the calls coming in on Al Wari’s phone..
Save the Indian victim ting nah… 9000 African Men locked up under that AG (Ramlogan)…
https://youtu.be/2L7xrKzIFDw
Sorry…. I meant Faris Al-Rawi…
Things mashing-up Boi?
There is an apparent misconception that innocent African men were detained by the UNC government during the state of emergency. The arrests were made by the same police force which exist today under the same police chief because crime was out of control and these men were known gang members known to police. Court records today documented crimes which were later committed by many of these men who were released. Others who were released continue to ravage our society and commit murders in their open warfare.
On the treatment of Ramlogan, if the UNC administration in collusion with the police and the DPP had acted in a similar manner against a former PNM minister, there would have been riots in the streets of POS.
Our country has reached new lows when the Leader of the Opposition and members of the Opposition avoid Independence day ceremonies in POS to avoid the embarrassment of being heckled and booed by the POS mobs, a practice which characterizes events in POS.
TMan…..Dont forget that Africans are Passive.LOL.!!!!
Anand case talk aimed at causing racial divide
PM condemns Roodal’s rant
By Rhondor Dowlat
Saturday, September 2, 2017 – guardian.co.tt
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has referred to comments made by Opposition Member of Parliament Dr Roodal Moonilal as a “dog whistle” in a bid to cause racial divide in this country.
The PM made the comment yesterday as he strongly condemed Moonilal’s claims his Government was behind the arrest and charges laid against former attorney general Anand Ramlogan.
Rowley noted the police investigation which led to Ramlogan’s arrest on Tuesday commenced under the last government and emphasised that it was under the guidance of an independent Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) that Ramlogan was subsequently charged.
“Nobody from this Government is involved in these investigations…driving it or encouraging it. This is an investigation that started under the last government and its now reached the point of an arrest of one individual,” Rowley said during a press conference at the Piarco International Airport before his departure for the United States.
“In the first instance, Dr Moonilal made a comment in response to that and the comment is what I called a dog whistle. Meaning it is a sound to those who will hear it…with its content being clear…without being spelt out.”
Rowley said the statements made by Moonilal, who is no ordinary person and who holds the office of MP of T&T of long-standing and former leader of government business in the House, were divisive and would only serve to cause racial divide.
“I condemn that statement and I call upon the national wider community to take note and to condemn this and similar statements, because it is this kind of statement that creates division in a country like ours, the consquences of which can be quite grave if they go unchallenged,” Rowley said.
“He (Moonilal) is saying that this is oppression on the part of the Government, implying that it is an executive action of the cabinet and members of this party…not actions of an independent police, under the guidance of an independent DPP, where the requirements are for information to be converted into evidence and for evidence to be acted upon…under the guidance and watchful eye of the DPP, a place where the cabinet has no presence of involvement
“…he (Moonilal) is saying that this arrest of his former colleague is political action on the part of the Government and even further to say it is action against persons of East Indian background and he named a number of East Indians who had been through the court process and attaches this recent development to it and is indicating to the country that law enforcement in this country is based on your racial complexion.”
The PM added: “I condemn that and I call upon all the leaders of this country to condemn this development. It is my understanding, and I am sure that it is the understanding of the vast majority of the people of T&T, that in T&T the police does not take political instructions from political parties to prosecute or persecute any person.”
He said initially he had refused to comment on Ramlogan’s arrest as he did not want to fuel any impression the Government had “any horse in this race.”
Rowley also spoke of the matter where the state, through the Attorney General’s Office, had gone to court to complain about eight or ten people with respect to the handling of over $400 million dollars at the Estate Management & Business Development Company Limited (EMBD). One of the names mentioned was Moonilal’s, he said, and a warrant was subsequently issued to Moonilal with allegations of misconduct in public office in relation to the matter.
Rowley suggested Moonilal was using the development involving Ramlogan’s arrest to make a point that East Indians are now being targeted. He added that weeks before the general election in 2015, Moonilal made a comment that went unnoticed by the media, in which he (Moonilal) was warning the police not to allow itself to be used by persons for political means.
“Now that is an alarming statement coming from a Member of Parliament, a former minister of government, who has questions to answer about the handling of public monies and for which information was provided for a court in T&T and the court being so satisfied that allowed warrants to be issued on this matter,” Rowley said.
“I find it inexplicable that such a comment could have been made in this country by a person who still holds his post in the parliament and could have made a comment like that without challenge…today I challenge that statement.”
He added: “Worse, what Dr Moonilal was doing was protecting himself because as he named the persons who had been to court, Mr Panday, Dr Narayansingh, Chief Justice Sharma, he very carefully didn’t name himself, because while being currently under a warrant to account for matters under his own portfolio…so what he is doing is seeking to incite flavours of understanding of this development to make it appear as though the police is acting against East Indians under the direction of this Government and so therefore when he appears before the court under the warrants that now exist, he will be a victim of this same development.”
Rowley does not care about citizens, says Moonilal
In an immediate response to the Prime Minister’s statements yesterday, Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal said instead of dealing with the issues that are affecting the people of T&T and putting forward solutions, Rowley, “chose instead to sow the seeds of division in our nation.”
Moonilal said it was very disturbing to hear Rowley suggest that he has personal information on possible further charges to be laid by the police in the Ramlogan matter and to insinuate that other members of the Opposition will be in court soon.
“How does the Prime Minister know this?” Moonilal asked.
“We ask whether there is collusion between elements of the police service and the political directorate? Our democratic principles are being eroded when the PM can openly allude to future police action and suggest personal and intimate knowledge of police investigations.”
He condemned Rowley’s latest attempt at misleading the population and distracting from the issues that matter.
“It is worth reminding the public that it was the PM, the head of Cabinet and head of the National Security Council, who has repeatedly criticised the T&T Police Service, choosing to blame law enforcement for his Government’s inability to deal with spiralling crime.”
Moonilal emphasised that Rowley does not care about the people of this country.
“As he leaves on yet another trip, the matter of the ferry debacle remains unresolved and the re-appointment of Robert Le Hunte to the position of Public Utilities Minister, which is unacceptable,” he said.
“The Opposition maintains that Mr Le Hunte’s firing and re-appointment is a breach of the Constitution and laws of T&T, and the Prime Minister has to accept responsibility for bringing the two highest offices in our land into disrepute.”
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2017-09-01/pm-condemns-roodal%E2%80%99s-rant
Why the police didn’t arrest Calder Hart and the ‘Project Manager’ when they plundered the treasury?
How and why does Rowley know the details of the Moonilal’s investigation?
Why is Rowley so confident that Moonilal “will have to answer too”?
Smells of collusion.
Why is it always necessary to have such a heavy police presence when prominent Indians are being investigated or arrested?
Where are the results of the Emailgate affair?
Where are the results of the Calder Hart investigation?
Where are the results of the Manning/Priestess church investigation?
Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte begins his tenure with deception, failing to inform the PM that he is a citizen of Ghana. This is in fact a corrupt act which should have disqualified him from holding this office. Manipulating the Immigration laws to accommodate him is also a corrupt act, implicating the PM in this conspiracy.
Is the PNM so bankrupt of local talent that they had to go on an international search?
Recognizing that he is also a citizen of T&T, does not justify these political gymnastics to accommodate him.
Could you imagine what would have happened in T&T if the former PM had recruited a Minister from India? There would have been a POS public outcry and marching in the streets!
“Could you imagine what would have happened in T&T if the former PM had recruited a Minister from India? There would have been a POS public outcry and marching in the streets!”.
……TMan
TMan, you are too intelligent to make such a foolish statement. Mr. LeHunte is a born citizen of this country (Trinidad and Tobago). He holds dual citizenship, meaning that he enjoys the same perks that is accorded the citizens of Ghana, by reason of his acceptance of that country’s grant of citizen status. He NEVER revoked his birth or country of his birth to hold Ghanaian citizenship. Our laws call for citizenship, with allegiance ONLY for Trinidad and Tobago and duality presents a requirement problem. The UNC had the same problems with Chaitan and Gypsy Peters. The matters were settled and they became Ministers in the UNC government. I did not hear san outcry from you when that occurred, as a matter of fact you supported it.
Seeing that you are now making those crazy remarks, it means that you lack principle and fairness in your view, in matters of procedure. I am not attacking your opinions, but just wanted to point out being Indian, in your view, elicits more positive evaluations from you.
While the UNC sympathizers use this issue to express vile and often repeated hate for the PNM and African people, the defendant in this case, ex AG Anand Ramlogan remain confident that this was what he always wanted. “I have waited a very long time to have my day in court and remain confident that the truth shall set me free. I have no doubt that justice will prevail in this matter and I will emerge victorious,” he said.
Since he is comfortable with the procedures, why the name calling and vitriol? Of course it is an opportunity to vent pent up it to vent hate.
There is enough public information available to keep within the bounds of this issue and we should use it, no matter where you stand politically.
The issue here is the speed, fanfare and overkill with regard to his arrest and charges.
Ramlogan and his battery of lawyers will certainly defend him in court. The prosecution will also do its work. The verdict, whichever way it goes, will be delivered. Justice will prevail.
The concerns for many is the appearance of collusion between the executive, judiciary and the police. This is not healthy for the future of the nation.
Any objective observer of the events which unfolded in Ramlogan’s public invasion by the police, lengthy detention and unusual overnight questioning would admit that the police acted in a vile and vindictive manner, confident that their actions were endorsed by higher powers.
And, yes, it has to be said, whenever prominent Indians are involved, the level of aggression by the Police is publicly heightened, e.g. Panday, Sharma.
It can also be said with some certainty that the State will pay substantially for this.
I have no qualms with people venting their opinions. It is the means by which we express our emotions and intellect. But when basic untruths are used to exacerbate tensions to an already volatile issue, nothing good can come out of it. The questions then becomes, are we writing to encourage clarity on a given situation or are we just writing to vent the venom of our inner disgust? Are we writing to inform, or are writing to get information? Are we writing to add what we know and others don’t, or are we writing to show we know more than others? The other question is, what do we expect from our input? Do we expect concessions from those we see as our adversaries or duo we hope that those who read will get a better understanding of us or the issues to which we are addressing? We must be motivated by something, why we take the time to write.
For example, TMan expressed his dismay about the arrest by saying
“The concerns for many is the appearance of collusion between the executive, judiciary and the police.” Well TMan, I have news for you: Since when, in a democracy, there is not a collusion between the Police, judiciary and the executive not being informed?. That is a basic tenet of how cases of law and order is handled. Why the executive? Simple. If there is public disorder when frustrations are vented and public outcry becomes violent, the executive have to provide the resources, to quell the disturbances. If the word “collusion” is taken to mean “ganging up on someone, then that is another matter.
TMan writes, “Any objective observer of the events which unfolded in Ramlogan’s public invasion by the police, lengthy detention and unusual overnight questioning would admit that the police acted in a vile and vindictive manner, confident that their actions were endorsed by higher powers.” I hate to tell you straight TMan, this is a case of police action. The police HAVE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. If they don’t show force, who is to say that there may not be many, many TMans with guns, hoes, shovels and stones to attack them. That is policing 101. You lived in Canada and the US. If you get stopped by a cop for a simple traffic violation, how many cop cars do you expect to surround you? One? Hell NO!! There can be as many as ten, depending on how you react to police questioning. YOU KNOW THIS FOR A FACT, IF AS YOU CLAIM THAT YOU LIVED IN CANADA.
So, why should the Police in Trinidad be less cautious? Show they just say that Anand is a Maharaja and they should go to him bowing their heads and asking him permission to come in? As recently as last week in India, a pundit was sentenced to prison for raping some of his female followers, a riot ensued because of the sentencing. should we allow that in Trinidad? Listen TMan, Im sorry to inform you that we have NO GODS here. In policing, every arrest needs to be handled with circumspection. High police presence is a defensive measure, not an infiltration. As an ex policeman, we know each situation have to be handled in a meritorious way to avoid chaos. Depending on the charges, they have a right to investigate and get as much as possible out of the defendant as they can, before laying charges. The defendant MUST KNOW why he is being arrested and why he is being charged.
You can treasure your opinions about it BUT by the very nature of his job, he MUST act defensively. I did not hear from Anand that he was treated badly by the police, he did not say that they were rude to him or that they violated his constitutional rights.
So why make something out of nothing? Anand know the law, and so do those who were charged with his arrest and investigation.
And yes, the case is now being placed in the hands of the judiciary and they will determine if Anand’s version id correct or that of the prosecutors. HAPPY TO DEBATE THAT ANYTIME!!!
“whenever prominent Indians are involved, the level of aggression by the Police is publicly heightened, e.g. Panday, Sharma.”
NOT MY WORDS, THOSE ARE THE WORDS USED BY TMAN.
I am yet to hear from any of the mentioned accused that there was aggression in the way the police handled them. Sometimes, in writing opinions we tend to leave out important facts YES FACTS.
We seem to forget that Sharma was a sitting CHIEF JUSTICE, who PRIVATELY interfered in the case of DR. Naraynsingh who was accused of killing his wife. In a democracy, that is a NO NO. In any judicial jurisdiction, that is a treasonable action. PANDAY himself will agree that he managed his situation badly. He too never said that aggression was used to arrest and detain him.
My Opinion:
Based on the allegations by TMan, I surmised that what he expects is that given the national stature of the people he is concerned about: PANDAY, SHARMA and RAMLOGAN (national figures), we should treat them with kid gloves, bow to them and give them praises before taking them to be tried before their peers in a court of law. The state of Israel is know for convicting Presidents, Prime Ministers and members of parliament. As a matter of fact an ex-President is just released from serving nine months in prison for committing crimes that Ramlogan and Sharma is being accused of. That is when a democracy works best, when it does not recognize rank and pomposity, it re-assures the public that the constitution is being applied, because it shows no favor and special treatment.
THE ANTHEM SAYS; HERE EVERY CREED AND RACE HAVE AN EQUAL PLACE, AND MAY GOD BLESS OUR NATION.