ANIDITA : A Life For Revolution

CHAPTER 1 : Part 7

Anirudh's p.o.v

I don't know how she managed to change all of a sudden. But whichever way it happened, which I suppose was from Bondita and mine's constant effort to make her understand – Laya was no longer the girl who fell in front of Bondita helplessly, pleading for support and sympathy but a willful teenager ready to fight for her rights. When I'm standing here now - in the court, as her lawyer, I couldn't help but carry an aura of pride around me. For a case like this, the victim's strength is something a lawyer needs more than anything and I have it with me.

"Your honour! As my client stated, this man – Mr Bagchi wanted to marry my client in spite of having two wives -"

"Come on Barrister Roy Chowdhary! Do I have to remind you there is no law against multiple marriage for men in British India?" Barrister Hastings interrupted me for the hundredth time.

He has been irritating me to the core with his interruptions and I resisted my urge to march towards him and knock him down right on his nose.

"No, thank you Barrister Hastings" I more like spitted on him "But it would be so nice of you if you shut up for a minute and hear what I have to say completely" I said feigning calmness.

He smirked at me knowingly and nodded.

"Your honour! My client refused to marry him and hence, he decided to molest her in order to get his deed done"

"That's a baseless accusation against my client Mr Roy Chowdhary" Hastings interrupted again "Do you have any witnesses or evidence to prove your accusation?"

"Let me complete what I have to say Barrister Hastings!" A faint smirk appeared on my lips when I continued "Or is this your nerves that are trying to shut me down, rather preventing me from producing my witnesses?"

I heard a light scoff from him before he muttered something under his breath and seated himself back on his chair. I smiled to myself and continued.

"Your honour, I would like to call my first witness Mrs Bondita Roy Chowdhary to the witness box"

"Permission granted!"

I saw Bondita approaching the witness box confidently.

"Mrs Roy Chowdhary" I stated when she finally arrived and looked up at me expectantly. As soon as the words left my mouth, she flushed a deep crimson and I nearly loathed the moment for not allowing me to smile at her innocence.

"Tell me Mrs Roy Chowdhary, what did you see when you were coming back to your friend's home from school?"

"I saw Abesh babu trying to stop Laya from passing against him. It seemed as though he was forcing her to do something"

"And you didn't try to know what the whole scenario was about?"

"I did! I asked her parents and they said it was her uncle then"

"Point to be noted your honour! Earlier Barrister Hastings had said Laya's accusations were baseless as he had her parents to support Mr Bagchi but the fact is, they wanted to sell off their daughter to the rich Zamindar to have a selfish life of their own. How could my client stay with parents like them?"

"Excuse me Barrister! Your honour, I would like to cross-examine Barrister Roy Chowdhary's witness" Hastings requested earnestly.

I sighed and made way to my chair, deciding to hit Hastings then and there if he even try to make this conversation nasty. Cases like these are so vulnerable to dirty talks and I don't want such things unfolding in front of my Bondita.

"Mrs Roy Chowdhary, isn't it?" He said the word as though it was venom.

"Yes, I am" Bondita replied confidently, pride glistening in her eyes. I smiled at her reply unknowingly.