If you thought Old West justice died with Judge Roy Bean and the Texas Rangers, think again...

From today's The Times of India--

"In a second such startling ruling in two months, a district court in Krishnagiri has handed over a state corporation bus as compensation to the family members of a bus accident victim, who died nine years ago.

"A semi-deluxe bus headed for Chennai from Bangalore was stopped by the staff of the Krishnagiri district court on Friday and the passengers were asked to get off. Then, the bus was taken to the house of 48-year-old woman... who lost her husband in a bus mishap in October 2000 and is still awaiting compensation from the transport corporation.

"The Tamil Nadu state express transport corporation owes compensation running to several lakhs (1 lakh = 100,000 rupees = about $2300) of rupees for families of scores of bus accident victims. On July 24, the Krishnagiri Additional district judge... ordered the attachment of a state-owned bus for the transport corporation's failure to pay 6.5 lakhs of rupees (about $15,000) compensation for the widow. The judge also said that the widow could keep the bus in her custody till September 4, 2009 pending payment of the due compensation."

Just a couple thoughts...

• Can you imagine the arguments between Justice Scalia and Justice Sotomayor when the case came to the US Supreme Court...
• I bet the widow has a swinging good time on her bus between now and September 4th!
• If you were the bus company, you probably are relieved because that is one less bus that will be running late for the next couple weeks...
• What would you be thinking if you were one of the passengers told to get off the bus?

That is justice... Indian Style...