Even though Anuj Bidve’s alleged killer, Kiaran Stapleton, pleaded guilty before a UK court on Friday, Bidve’s family feels that justice is still a long way ahead.
Bidve’s parents Subhash and Yogini are currently in the UK to attend Stapleton’s trial. His brother-in-law Rakesh Sonawane said that they are now waiting for the trial to commence.
“The trial has been set to begin on June 25, and we are now waiting to see the results. I spoke to Anuj’s parents earlier in the day. Like me, they also feel that it is too premature to get our hopes up at such an early stage, although we do believe from the bottom of our hearts that Stapleton should be given the harshest punishment possible in law for killing Anuj,” Mr Sonawane told The Asian Age.
“We have no other option but to pin our hopes on the judicial system in UK and the Indian High Commission officials. We also have to accept the fact that our Anuj is gone forever,” Mr Sonawane said.
Anuj’s parents had a difficult time on Friday when they saw Stapleton in person for the first time. They later told Mr Sonawane that they were all but shattered on coming face to face with their son’s killer.
“It could not have been easy for them. It would not have been easy for me either,” Mr Sonawane said.