Calming The Storm🌌 (#wattys2019)√

24. The case

"Never mistake law for justice. Justice is an ideal, law is a tool."
- L. E. Mondessit Jr.

Indrayan's pov :

"About the case, I have a few questions."
I nodded asking her to go ahead.

"Firstly, the defendant has made severe allegations on Sridha and her character. She even claimed that the post mortem report states that Mr. Desai died of several knife wounds. These are just baseless claims! How does she plan on proving all this in the court?" Sampurnaa asked curious and concerned at the same time.

I analysed all that the defendant had said mentally once before replying to her question,  "She has got forged reports from some doctor she has managed to coax and trap with money or threats. Nothing can be done about the reports or any photo shopped images that she might present as evidence, so we have to focus on how to counter her because there is nothing we can do to stop her."

"What about Zeenat?" Her voice quivered even as she tried to hide her emotions. I shook my head silently asking her to not break down.
She looks at me, into my eyes and then says, "Zeenat would have lived had it not been for me. She tried to save me! If she had not listened to my request then she would still be breathing. She breathed her last in front of my eyes! It all happened because of me!" Sampurnaa broke down again. She tried hard to conceal her tears but eventually gave in to her emotions.

I allowed her to calm down by herself before speaking up, "You have immersed yourself in the guilt which those ruthless murderers should feel. What happened had nothing to do with you, Sampurnaa! Had Zeenat lived and been unable to save you, she would have been drowning in disdain and regret. What happened there that night was what those criminals did. Had all that not taken place, you and the other girls would have remained there in the brothel and the scenario would be totally different. Tumi bolechhile je tumi shahosh harabe na (You said you will not lose courage and strength)! So don't! Let us fight for justice! For Zeenat! For Sridha and for every single woman who's witnessed her dignity being killed brutally. Thik ache (Okay)?"

She nodded and gave a small smile.
And then I decided to change the topic, "We have got your clothes checked like you asked us to. There were traces of heroin and cocaine and also the drug called Ecstasy. The brothel has been sealed and the rooms have been searched. Like you told us, there were syringes and injections hidden in the flush tanks of the washrooms. The injections contained Morphine. Other than the master bedroom, we found drugs in large quantities in a store room. Smuggling of drugs was definitely going on there. The police found several heavily drugged and  unconscious young girls in the cellars. Till now, there has been no lead into the two runaway criminals. The police have been unable to find a secret escape so now we are interrogating the staff as we suspect betrayal."

Sampurnaa raised her hand indicating me to stop and allow her to speak.
I stop abruptly as she speaks out her mind, "The servers in the brothel had been deliberately blocked for all outsiders. I saw a computer in Frieda's room and the files too. I asked you to go through them once. There must be some point which we are missing out on. Victor and Frieda have not escaped abroad. They have been untraceable! They cannot vanish into thin air! Why don't we speak to all the girls who had been held captive at the brothel and ask them their story? There could be details we've been missing out on. And about the drug smuggling case, the police are going to do the investigation anyways, so we can wait for evidence. As for what Zeenat's case is concerned, we must immediately file a forced marriage, marital rape, domestic violence and a murder case against Mr. Victor Sequira aka Md. Ibrahim Siddiqui and his sister, Frieda. Moreover, you have the recording with Zeenat's testimony and also the camera snaps and small recordings."

I nodded as I knew she had more to say, "Coming to Sridha's case, I would like you to do me a favour and that is to brief me and Sridha about the questions that may be asked by the defendant during cross examination. And how do you plan on proving that Minister Desai's son is a rapist? The defendant can get edited and maneuvered CCTV footage. We have proof from the DNA tests and other medical reports that Mr. Desai and Sridha had been intimate. We may know that it is a rape, but what about the court?"