"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?"

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Sampurnaa's pov :

I finally asked the question I had on my mind. Ever since childhood, I had heard that in a court, more than a testimony, proofs and evidences are given importance to. What if the defendant lawyer gets evidence which totally challenges us? My mind had been in a turmoil all this while and I had actually been relieved when the defendant had not opted for an immediate cross examination for Sridha at the court today.

Indrayan told me what he felt, "You know what the truth is Sampurnaa! You have even found that broken piece of earring on the floor in that room at the brothel. We have Sridha's testimony and we have the college peon who has been taken into police custody as he is suspected to have been involved. He must be knowing something! I agree that our prime accused are on the run but you must not forget the points we have that can be presented as arguments at the court. Why was Mr. Desai's death kept a secret? Which doctor made the post mortem report? Why did the minister not file a police complaint earlier? We have questions that are yet to be unanswered by them. And yes, I warned you several times before you got involved in all this and I am warning you again; this case is not an open and shut one! This case is a corridor of unopened doors and all doors shall open gradually. No one knows how far justice is, but to get justice you just have to keep going without losing hope."

I knew all that he had said was totally valid and that the case had just begun. We couldn't have second thoughts now! The case had to go on! For justice... For the Nirbhayas and the Asifas and all the other women and girls in our nation!

I knew he had more to say and he did, "I would ask you one simple question as your lawyer today, 'Do you trust me enough to take full charge of this case? ' Answer as Yes or No whatever comes to your mind, Sampurnaa!"

I took a deep breath and replied, "I approached you that day because I trust you. I don't know how or when but I just started trusting you! The first assignment I had as a reporter was to interview you and since that first interview, I have known that you are a man who can be trusted with women. I would have never depended on you, Indrayan had I not trusted you. I would have never revealed my tears to you had I not trusted you enough as a man! You are a lawyer who can get Sridha the justice she craves for! And I know, Zeenat, from the holy realm that she might be in now, is relying upon you. She's hoping that you will bring her and the other women who went through merciless torture, peril and anguish the justice they crave for! You are the one I am depending on! You have to bring me judicature! Mr. Indrayan Chakraborty, it's not about whether or not I trust you because the answer is going to be a 'Yes' always! It is about the unpredictable and implausible opposition we are up against! I take back my doubts and trust you again today! Get us what women like us thirst for: a dignified and respectful life! We don't want anyone's pity! We may have been raped, molested or violated, but all of us have something more in us than just the tag of a victim!"

I knew I had tears that were threatening to fall but I stopped my emotions from flowing down freely!
I put a smile on my face while looking at that man whose name meant hope for Sridha, Zeenat and the other girls at the brothel... one of them being me.

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Indrayan's pov :

Sampurnaa was trying hard to stop her tears. She tried to smile while looking at me and her eyes spoke heights!

The unshed tears told me of a part of her who had been affected deeply by whatever that had taken place at the brothel. Her eyes spoke of the compassion and kindness she had. There was a fire hidden in the depths which spoke of the anger she had for the criminals.
I touched her arm lightly as she seemed to have gotten lost in her thoughts. She jumped at my touch and the very next moment she started crying.

I did not have much experience with victims as I had with criminals, so I just looked at her a bit helplessly and cluelessly.
Amidst sobs and tears, she choked out all that she had inside her, "...You..kn.ow... Before Zeenat...died... She told me her... Story. She...she... Had to go through s much! Why?! She was an.... innocent...child! She was...a good...woman! That man... He dared to body-shame me! He told me that a woman should...should...have...a body... for men... to find pleasure in. I was so scared that day! Those men would have... they would have done...something to me!"

Her words were jumbled and her sentences were running into one another. She just hugged herself and spoke out everything.
She ejected out the pain and trauma she had bundled inside her.
Eventually she felt tired after all the crying and was on the verge of falling asleep. I helped her to her room and once she was inside, I came back to the library cum study to turn off the lights.
I found my way to the guestroom I had been assigned.
I was tired out myself.
The past week had been too much for all of us who had been involved in the red light area case.
Yet no one had gone through the trauma which Sampurnaa had to. She may be tough and strong for the world but there was a lot she had underneath her tough shell.
I changed my clothes before retiring to bed.
It was raining outside. The thunder rumbled as the heavy showers descended from the heavens. A new day was yet to begin and remonstrances were ordained.

The case was no longer restricted to Sridha and Zeenat. It now represented the plight of all the women who had been forced into marriage, cheated by their husbands, who had been raped under the pretext that they were prostitutes and all those who had been victims of human trafficking.
This was just the beginning.... Ekhono onek poth chola baaki (even now, we have a long way to go).

This was the last thought which crossed my mind before I felt myself drifting off to sleep.
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A/N

The chapter is small and uneventful but this was essential. The story maybe going slow, but things don't race when they happen in our lives, do they?
I shall try and update soon. Thank you everyone who has been reading the story and has been supporting me.

Cheers,
Shubhadittya