"Vedas Protects Those Who Nuture It": Madras High Court Judge

When Vedas are protected, it will guard those who nurture it and a court verdict brought him that realisation, Madras High Court Judge, Justice GR Swaminathan has said.

Recounting an incident and a related court case, which he said changed his perspective, the judge said a Vedic scholar was convicted and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment in a motor vehicle accident case which involved the death of a man.

The judge recounted the incident while addressing a national Vedic talent meet held by a trust here last week. A video clip of the judge's address is now available in the social media.

The scholar, a 'Shastri' (one who is well versed in Shastras and Vedas, a Vaidika Brahmin) was his long time friend and at that time, Justice Swaminathan said he was a practising lawyer.

Recalling, the judge said one day, the Shastri, alongwith another friend came to meet him and when he was told that the Vedic scholar was convicted and given prison sentence, he could not believe it.

Elaborating, the judge said the Vedic pundit's sister had come to India on a visit from America. Alongwith her children and scholar brother, she visited temples and she drove the car. It was not clear what happened and the car hit a man in front of tea stall and he died.

The shastri's sister had to leave for US and hence, the scholar claimed to have negligently driven the car and surrendered to police. Trial was held in the case and the shastri was sentenced to 18 months in jail.

The judge said in such cases six months jail sentence is common. The shastri used to visit court in full traditional attire (dhoti and upper cloth besides sporting a tuft) and the scholar told him that he was sentenced to 18 months in jail due to that dress.

When he perused case papers he found that not even one witness had identified the person who drove the vehicle. Also, none identified the Vedic scholar in the court. There was no witness against the scholar.

Justice Swaminathan said he took up that case as he was then a practising lawyer and went on an appeal.

"We took up this single point and argued in the appeal court," Justice Swaminathan said, adding it was the good time of the shastri that the judge who heard the appeal was his classmate.

Eventually, shastri was acquitted as there was no evidence against him.

"That day I realised that when we protect Vedas, Vedas will protect us and I realised it. Till then, I did not have a keen interest in such matters. Think, at least one witness could have said that shastri drove the car. Not even one said that." All the eight witness said the car ran amok, hit the man and he died, Justice Swaminathan recalled.

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