Intertwined Fates -- An IPKKND FanFic

A Slap on the Wrist

"All rise for the honorable judge."

Arnav, Anjali, Payal, Akash and NK stood up as Judge Darsh Agarwal, former classmate of Nandegra Amit, entered the courtroom. In the row ahead, Arnav spotted Officer Kashyup and the nun from the orphanage.

As they sat down again, his gaze returned to Khushi. It was the first time he'd seen her since the day he'd dropped her off to work. He thought she looked pale and earlier, when she spotted them all, her smile had been tight.

He eyed the lawyer for the opposing side--he looked completely relaxed. Next to him, Vikrant Amit was leaning back in his chair, as if he was on a beach or something.

And why wouldn't he be? Despite all of Khushi's efforts, the judge was still in their pocket. And at the end of the day, they were the Amits--the most powerful political family in the country. It was likely that the jury wouldn't side with the orphanage girls either.

His heartrate picked up as the trial began.

Amit's lawyers called to the witness stand several character witnesses, who each attested to Amit's good character. Khushi declined to cross-examine any of them.

Then the orphanage director was called to stand. After swearing to tell the truth, the man, under Amit's lawyers questioning, stated that he had no idea who he'd sold the girls to. According to his testimony, several masked men approached him in the orphanage and he made the deal.

Then it was Khushi's turn to cross-examine him. As she got up and Arnav got to see her face again, he was relieved to see that all signs of nervousness had vanished from her features.

"Just to clarify once more, the men approached you in the orphanage?"

"Yes, Wakeel Saiba."

"Did the men say why they approached you? In other words, how did they know you'd be receptive to the deal?"

He shrugged carelessly. "They didn't tell me and I didn't ask."

"What about Ms. Sheetal? How did she know you would be receptive?"

"I don't know."

The opposing lawyer spoke up. "Objection, your honor. This question is irrelevant."

"Objection sustained."

Arnav huffed impatiently. The question was most certainly not irrelevant. The fact that Sheetal and these men both approached the orphanage director could not be a coincidence.

Seemingly unphased, Khushi continued, "How did you know the men that approached you would uphold their end of the deal?"

The director shrugged and the judge instructed him to verbally respond.

"I just did."

"You have quite a bit of trust in masked, unknown strangers."

The opposing lawyer said sharply, "Objection, Your Honor. That's argumentative."

"Objection sustained."

Khushi nodded in acknowledgement. "Have you ever met Vikrant Amit before?"

"No."

"Were you aware that the bar you frequented, Ek Baar Phir, was owned by Amit?"

"Objection, you honor. That's irrelevant."

"Objection sustained."

Arnav clenched his fist. That was another relevant question. The judge's bias was so obvious right now, it was ridiculous.

"No more questions."

At this point, it was time for lunch break.

Khushi joined Arnav and the others at the nearby restaurant. "That judge is so unfair," Payal complained. "They barely let you ask anything."