Pune Court Visit- Oct 2023
The day kicked off with a 9 a.m. bus ride, reaching the court at 11:30 a.m. The students were in the capable hands of Ms. Sonia Gupta, a practicing lawyer at Pune District Court. She didn't just guide them through the court's nooks and crannies but also schooled them on courtroom hierarchy and etiquette.
The students were split into two groups, each getting a ringside view of courtroom drama. One group witnessed a POCSO case, highlighting the complexities of investigating child abuse cases. Here, the accused had the unusual task of proving their innocence, flipping the script on the usual legal burden of proof. They saw an Investigation Officer grilled about statements, and the choice to use written instead of audio-visual records, to which she answered that it was the benefit and protection of the child victims and witnesses.
The other group had a front-row seat at a high-profile case involving a DRDO scientist, Prateek Kurulkar. He faced charges of sedition and terrorism, accused of leaking secrets to a Pakistani operative. He got bail during the end of the proceeding.
The lunch break took place in the court canteen with authentic Maharashtrain snacks- Vada pav and Misal pav along with refreshing tea. The journey back was filled with music and a beautiful sunset in the tiny hills of Lavasa. We reached our home away from home at 4pm with the days activities running through our head and all that everyone needed was a nap.
Conclusion: The visit was a huge success and the happy wow filled faces of the students said it all. They looked around the court campus in surprise and saw their future in the lawyers and advocates running around with their briefcases. They looked so cool! Their first court visit will become a core memory of their life.
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