Neither support nor oppose ‘Delhi Crime’: Nirbhaya’s father

By Simran Sethi

New Delhi, March 31 (IANS) "Films, shows banane se kya ho raha hai? Kitni films ban chuki hai Nirbhaya pe...7 saal ho gaye par abhi tak meri beti ko nyay tak nahi mila," the 58-year-old helpless Badrinath Singh said in a voice that indicated he had little hope of justice for his daughter even seven years after she was brutally killed.

He was referring to his daughter's case. Nothing happens when films and shows are made on my daughter's case. "It has been seven years but my daughter hasn't got justice," he said.

On December 16, 2012, a 23-year-old paramedic student (named Nirbhaya by the media) was gang-raped and beaten up by six men in a moving bus in south Delhi. Her body was brutalised and thrown out of the bus, as was her male companion. After being treated in a Delhi hospital for 11 days, she was flown to Singapore for specialised treatment but died two days later on December 29, 2012.

The heinous incident, which shook the conscience of the entire nation and sent out waves of fear among the people, has now been brought alive on screen with the Netflix show "Delhi Crime".

It's a fictionalised series based on the case files of the Delhi Police who arrested the six perpetrators of the gang-rape within five days.

Richie Mehta's show is in the news since its release as it is making people revisit those horrific days.

IANS asked Nirbhaya's father, Badrinath Singh, for his views on the show.

"I haven't seen the show and do not even want to see it. It's hard to see all those things again.

"It's not that I am against this show. It should be real. I know it is a show and there will be fiction but I feel real people should be involved in the show. The names are changed in the show ...Real voices should be included. Neither am I supporting nor am I opposing the show."

Badrinath also mentioned that he and his family were not a part of the show's making.

"The makers approached us many times. Even one month ago, they asked us to watch the show but we refused. We wanted real voices to be a part of the show ...So we didn't sign any deal or contract with them."

The seven-episode series chornicles how DCP (South) Chhaya Sharma (played by actress Shefali Shah) and her team solved the case and managed to catch the culprits despite several hiccups.

Many have praised the show for portaying the sustained efforts of Delhi Police in cracking the case but there are others who have termed it "skewed" saying there were factual inaccuracies.

Neeraj Kumar, who Delhi's Police Commissioner at the time and who served as a consultant on "Delhi Crime", told IANS: "The show depicts 60-65 per cent of the truth...the rest is fictionalised. The makers have used their creative liberty to dramatise the show. I won't say that whatever you will see in the show is 100 per cent true. But it's a good show as it depicts what the police had to go through through during the invesitagtion."

There has also been criticism that the show tries to present Delhi Police in good light.

"The convicts were given death sentences...it all happened because of the solid work of the police force. Despite hurdles, we caught the accused, some of whom had escaped to other cities. So, saying the show whitewashes the image of the Delhi Police won't be fair."

Mehta has previously explained why he directed the show in the manner he did.

"When I met them (police officers) and got to know them, all the way from deputy commissioners to sub-inspectors and constables, I realised that they had a perspective on this incident that we all desperately needed to hear and that this needed to be given a voice. So I proceeded on that belief."

On his part, Badrinath hailed the Delhi Police. "Police is the hero in my eyes."

"The police helped us a lot. They made sure culprits got capital punishment. They were supporting us throughout the case.

"We still get police security...I am thankful to the entire Delhi Police team," he added.

"Delhi Crime" ends with a group of policemen discussing over ice creams at India Gate the arrest of the six offenders, till they are informed that one of them had committed
suicide in jail. But for Badrinath, the agony will forever continue.

"Governments come and go...they are just interested in staying in power...They are not at all interested in doing something for our women. Sarkar badalti jaa rhi hai par cases wahi reh gaye hain...," -- governments change but the cases keep coming, Badrinath said.

(Simran Sethi can be contacted at simran.s@ians.in)