IIT graduate Buddhi a free man
By Sumir Singh

In Dec, 2009, I had reported that Vikram Buddhi, an IIT alumnus and a PhD student at Purdue Uni, had been in a Chicago jail for 3.5 years waiting trial. He was jailed in 2007 for using the identities of other people to post online threats against President Bush and others. Vikram insisted that his views were protected under the free speech guarantees of the US Constitution.

On Dec 11, 2009, a US Judge sentenced Vikram to 4 Years and 9 months in prison.  A number of high profile, well connected IIT alumni as well as Indian politicians had campaigned for his release.  In 2009, every major TV station and newspaper had reported this case.

Not much has been heard of this high profile case in the last year or so.  Techgoss had learnt that Vikram Buddhi has been released from prison. And the US Federal Bureau of Prisons has updated their website to announce his release (Image above). Vikram’s well organized, erudite team of supporters has not released a public statement yet.

(Techgoss had published the following on Dec 12, 2009)

No Govt help for jailed Techie?
By Sumir Singh

Vikram Buddhi, an IIT alumnus and a PhD student at Purdue University has been in a Chicago jail for 3.5 years now. He was convicted in 2007 for using the identities of other people to post threatening messages online against President Bush and others. Vikram insists that his views are protected under the US Constitution guarantee of free speech.

On Dec 11, 2009 a US Judge sentenced Vikram to 4 Years and 9 months in prison. Under the US System, an appeal can only be filed after the sentence is announced. So effectively the case was in a legal limbo for 2 years.  Now that a sentence has been given, the legal fight can be taken to the next step.

What is baffling about this case is that the US Secret Service first considered these online postings not serious enough for even an arrest.  They met Vikram in Jan 2006 and let him off with a warning.  But they returned after a few months and arrested him. He has been languishing in jail since.

As Vikram Buddhi as well as his father studied at IIT, and the powerful IIT community is very well connected in USA and India, the matter was escalated to powerful politicians in both countries.   Indian Foreign Minister S M Krishna met the Vikram Buddhi defence team and told the media that his office would do everything to help them.  Mr. Krishna hinted that it seemed to be a case of miscarriage of justice. Opposition Leader L K Advani also met Vikram’s parents.  The well connected IIT community quietly lobbied people in USA.

Many in the Indian community in America feel that as there were only online threats and there were no weapons found in his possession, a 5 year sentence is unjust and excessive.

But it seems that while the Indian politicians were publicly expressing support, little was being doing on the ground.

The Vikram Buddhi defence team has provided the following update to the media. They allege that the Indian Government has done nothing to help them.

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Vikram’s sentencing was scheduled for Dec 10. As per the schedule, the hearing started and Vikram informed the court that the appointed attorney Mr. Arlington Foley never took interest in the matter and met him only once way back in June 2009. Vikram further informed the court that he had lost trust in Mr. Foley and would like the court to appoint a new suitable attorney. On this Judge Moody told Vikram “either you go ahead with Mr. Foley or represent yourself pro se.” On hearing this, Vikram had no option but to go pro se. The court permitted him to go pro se. Vikram presented all the facts but orally. The court denied admitting them unless they were filed as a motion. The judge did not let Mr. Foley go off completely and appointed him as stand-by counsel. Vikram having been left on his own had to compose himself before doing the cross of the witnesses and took slightly more time than an attorney would normally take. On this, the Judge commented sarcastically “Sure, take your time. We'll just sit here all day. How's that?"

Vikram like Abhimanyu of Mahabarata fought for 7 hours and argued much better than many of the attorneys.  The sentencing was pushed for next day.

On Dec 11, 2009, Vikram filed 17 pages motion for subpoena of alleged victims' records and the deliberations continued. Prosecution was pressing for 35 years of imprisonment. Finally the court sentenced Vikram to imprisonment of 57 months (4 years and 9 months) and 3 months of probation if he is not deported. The court gave him 10 days of time to appeal against the judgment in seventh circuit court of appeals.

10 days of time to file appeal seems to me too less for Vikram to prepare in absence of an expert attorney to do the paper work in view of which we must get him a suitable attorney as quick as possible. Either we get him a pro-bono attorney or hire one for him.

I would like the media to know that government of India did nothing to extend any help to Vikram and it is a matter of shame. In the morning of Dec 10, I had met Mr. L K Advani to know what Mr. S M Krishna communicated to him on the steps he took on Vikram during his last visit to Washington DC. As per Mr. Advani, Foreign Minister Krishna did not sound confident at all and did not seem to have done anything.

Government of India has done nothing and has been befooling us, media and Indian people that they are in touch with USA attorney General's office on the issue.
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