"The truth can either relieve you or it can kill you..."

-Elegiac_Damsel
_________

2nd December

Indrayan's pov:

We reached the court by 9.45. All the people who had come for the hearing congratulated me and Sampurnaa when we walked to the courtroom together.

The first thing I did was to ask the police officers who had arrived with the fugitives in custody, if the arrest warrant had been issued against Mr. Aadesh Tripathi.
It turns out that the man had applied for immediate bail and that the Health Minister had interfered in the matter.

The justice arrived at 10 a.m.
We all rose in respect just as the bailiff announced his arrival.

He gave the green signal to begin with the questioning.

"Your honour, I would request you to allow me to call upon Col. Abraham Collins to the witness box."

The colonel came to the witness box, escorted by two police constables. He was sworn in.

"Col. Collins, would you please tell the court if you were involved in helping Ms. Anya Siddiqui and her brother, Md. Ibrahim Siddiqui to escape?" I asked him the first question

He nodded in yes.

"Words, Colonel! The court wants to hear you speak!"

He replied a feeble yes.

"Colonel, you were in charge of the special security force of the Mumbai police given the fact that you had served in the army; and that you had potential. Would you care to tell His Honour, what prompted you to help fugitives in illegal work when you happen to be someone who is supposed to protect the law?" I asked him harshly.

"Objection my lord! The prosecutor is directly accusing the witness! He is forgetting that in a court, till the verdict is given, the accused is a suspect and not a declared criminal!" the defendant stood up to say

"Objection sustained! Prosecutor, you are well aware of the protocol in the court, better follow that!" the judge warned me sternly

I nodded curtly and apologised quickly.
Turning back to the witness box, I asked,
"Let me rephrase that. Colonel, would you care to tell the court why you helped Ms. Siddiqui and her brother?"

"I... I did it... In exchange of money." he confessed

"Well colonel, I think it is a well known fact that you earn well enough. Did you have a personal motive or reason to do what you did?" I asked him immediately

"More than 75% of the salary I receive goes in for my daughter's treatment. She is in a comatose state for the last three years. I was managing alright somehow but then my wife fell ill. Initially, it was something with the kidneys. She was put on dialysis for a year and then later, the doctors removed one of her kidneys. She had to be bedridden. After that, she got some problem with the liver and the doctor suggested a transplant. The medical costs became too much to handle, even with the salary I receive. I had turned up to my friend, Mr. Ramlal Tripathi for financial help. I met Anya through him and I began doing the business transactions for them, in return of Rs. 2,00,000 per month." he revealed

The courtroom broke into murmurs. Finally, someone had revealed Anya's business partner's name! It was the Health Minister like Sampurnaa and I had suspected!

...

The justice was trying in vain to reinforce order in the court.
"Order! Order! Everyone please sit down in your seats and keep quiet!" he screamed while banging the gavel

It took some time but the courtroom soon delved into an eerie silence.
"Colonel, are you implying that the Union Health Minister was involved in the drugs racket?" the justice asked him

"Yes, your honour! He was involved in this."

"Prosecutor, you may continue with the cross- examination." the justice told me once he had confirmed the Colonel's statement.

"Colonel, would you please tell the court what were the businesses that the Minister and Ms. Siddiqui were involved in, with your knowledge?"

"Drugs, forced prostitution, human trafficking and even female foeticide." he replied without hesitation

"Female foeticide?" I asked him again for confirmation

"Yes. The Health Minister ensured that the government hospitals in the rural areas had one separate department for those expecting parents who did not want a girl child."

To say that the entire courtroom was stunned would be an understatement. There was a silence that was deafening!

To think that the minister of our democratic republic country... Someone we had elected as our representative!

The media representatives were the first to react. They started shouting out questions for the Colonel to answer.

The justice had to stall the court hearing as the situation got out of control.

"The hearing is stalled for today. The court requires Mr. Ramlal Tripathi to appear for the next hearing and also orders the presence of Mr. Aadesh Tripathi on the next date. The next date is 14th December, 12 p.m. The court is adjourned!"

We all rose as the justice made his way out of the courtroom.

...

Sampurnaa's pov:

What the hell was that? If drugs and stuff weren't bad enough... We had a Health Minister who had legalised female foeticide!

I was fuming when I walked out of the court room after the hearing. Sridha, Zakir and Indrayan were waiting just outside the court. Wait a minute! How did they come out so quick?

"What took you so long, Di?" Sridha asked me

What took me so long? I didn't even realise that I had taken too long!

"Umm... Nothing. I was shocked I guess." I replied

"Well... I have to go to college. I'll meet you during the next trial... And yes... Please try and enjoy your newly married life a bit!" she told me and bolted off after waving goodbye, cheekily

"I will be on my way too. I need to fill in my sister's 11th grade admission form and drop it at the school by today. I'll meet you directly at the office." Zakir informed Indrayan and left after saying a quick goodbye to both of us.

We both were left alone... But neither of us spoke.

...

"Where are you headed to?" I asked him finally, breaking the silence

"To the office. I'll drop you at the studio. Come." he told me and we both headed towards the parking lot

He held the door open for me.
"I can help myself. You don't have to be so chivalrous!" I told him jokingly

He started driving once he had got into his seat.

"Sampurnaa, what do you make of the trial today?" I heard him ask me

"Well. I just came to know that manifestos, mandates, affidavits and promises are all convenient lies if issued by a politician. To think that female foeticide takes place even today, that too right below our nose... I can't even think about it! Was media asleep? Were the police in coma? How come no one knew about all this?" I ranted

"Sometimes, things are way more complex than what appears. We have taken a step further towards the truth... But be rest assured that there are many more that we have to take in order to reach a conclusion."

...

6th December

It is Ashtamangala today. I have a day off and Indrayan has been instructed to take a day off.

Dwiragaman___________

Eight days after the marriage, the bride returns to her father's home, accompanied by her husband. This is also known as "Ashtomongola" or Dwiragaman . On this day the 'Gat chara' is unknotted. The newly wed couple spends the night at the home of the bride. The Ashtomongola marks the end of the Bengali marriage ceremony.

I was really excited to return home after 8 days! I was finally going to meet Maa, Baba, Dada and Boudi!

I rang the doorbell excitedly and impatiently when we reached. Baba opened the door and I immediately hugged him. Maa asked me to get out so she could welcome me and my husband properly.

She had the borondaala in her hand. She circled it vertically and touched it to our heads and chests. She allowed me to step in only after she was satisfied with the welcome.

She pulled me into her embrace and broke down.

"Baby! It has been so difficult without you! You know your Baba and I would keep going to your bedroom at night because we were missing you. Abhimanyu was also missing you! He always went to your room before going for work. The house seems so empty without you."

I wiped her tears and kissed her cheek.
"I thought you guys were happy with me getting married. Maybe I should annull it... What say?" I asked her and Baba

Immediately a slap came and landed on my cheek.

"You insolent girl! You are looking for annulling your marriage 8 days into marital life!" Maa exclaimed angrily

"Maa! I was just joking... I don't mean it. I am not going to leave my husband this soon." I told her and she calmed down

She immediately kissed my cheek where the slap had landed and ushered her son in-law inside.

...

Dada got me a gift! He got me a cake and new books! It feels just so good to be back.

Maa has cooked a feast for her son in-law! Literally!

"Maa, I can't eat all this. It is too much. You can ask Sampurnaa or even Adrija if I eat so much... I really don't eat so much!" I heard Indrayan refuse Maa when she was serving him more.

"Maa! He eats much more than this. He is just refusing as he is feeling embarrassed at his in-laws' place... Am I not right, bhai?" Adrija Boudi asked him mischievously

I giggled at his murderous expression.

He turned to look at me, requesting me silently for help.

"Maa. You have actually served him a lot. He definitely can't eat so much. Allow me to take something from his plate." I told Maa and she allowed me

And I had to actually take away half the things of his plate in order to get the quantity that he usually consumes! So much of love for the son in-law!

Contrary to traditions, we did not spend the night at my home... Instead we returned back in the evening as we both had work the next day.
...

8th December

Indrayan's pov:

I was the first one to wake up today. It was 6 a.m.
Sampurnaa was asleep as she returned home well after 2 a.m.
I was waiting up for her as I couldn't fall asleep without her there. Maybe this is what marriage is about: getting used to one another.

I freshened up quickly and went downstairs to make myself a cup of coffee.
Sampurnaa was just waking up when I returned back with the coffee and the newspaper.
"Good morning!" I wished her

She sat up on the bed and wished me back.

"Why don't you sleep for sometime more?" I asked her

"I should be telling you the same... You stayed up for me. Anyways I need to be up... Because I am not someone who likes to lie in bed after waking up."

She was quick to get up and rush to the washroom with her clothes.
She is one of those who takes a shower within 5 minutes of waking up! Sighing to myself, I sat back on the bed, leaning against the headboard and reading the newspaper; with the coffee mug on the side table.
...

She walked inside the bedroom after 20 minutes... In shorts and tee with her hair soaking wet and wrapped in a towel. It is December! Moreover, she took a shower at 2 in the morning after returning back... Does she want to catch flu?

Sampurnaa hurried to the dressing table and applied liquid vermilion. Her mother wanted her to sport vermilion all the time and she wasn't sure if a thick streak of powdered vermilion would go with western outfits; hence this solution.

I turned my attention back to the newspaper as she continued applying moisturizer and stuff.

" Could you please go and sit somewhere else?" I heard her asking me

I raised my eyebrows at her, inquisitively.

"I need to make the bed and put in fresh sheets. We've had the same sheet for a week now!" she replied

I got up silently, allowing her to do her work.

"Umm... Can I get a sip of that coffee? The aroma suggests that it has been brewed well." she asked me hesitantly

"Sure! I took a sip from the mug though..." I told her while handing her the coffee

She ignored what I said and sipped it.

"Wow! Bliss! I don't drink much of milk coffee... But this cappuccino is seriously good!"

I smiled.
"You can finish it... I'll get another."

"No! I just wanted a sip..." she handed me my coffee back

"I'll get your usual black coffee then." I told her and was making my way out of the room when she said,
"I'll make my own when I go to make Maa and Dad's morning tea. You don't have to bother with the extra work."

So you think this is extra work for me? Don't you worry... I'll make the tea and the coffee too.
...

I made the tea and coffee and then went out for a walk. There were two different things on my mind:

1. The case. Mr. Aadesh Tripathi has been taken under police custody and Mr. Ramlal Tripathi has been sent a formal order to be present at the court on the next date. Heavens knows if he will be there! The minister's death is still a question mark... There are two suspects... Both of them a mystery!

2. Sampurnaa.
We both have adjusted well so far and have gotten used to one another... But is that all?
She is still apprehensive about me touching her, even accidentally... She isn't ashamed of her body and isn't ashamed because someone tried to molest her... But she is jittery about someone touching her. I know that we both share mutual respect and trust... But we still have a long way to go.

...

I returned home half an hour later. Maa and Dad were up and about while Sampurnaa was down wearing her formals.

I am guessing that she has to go for on field reporting today.
"Who made the tea today?" I heard Maa ask

"When I came down, it was already made... Must have been your son, Maa. He even made me coffee." Sampurnaa informed Maa

"Interesting! Well... It has been made okay. Put in some sugar from next time." she commented

Oh damn! I forgot to add sugar to the tea... Because I was making black coffee, no sugar alongside!

...

Sampurnaa's pov:

I arrived really late at night, yesterday. What surprised me the most was the fact that Indrayan was waiting up for me.
I was really touched by his gesture... But he asked me simply whether or not I would do the same.
The answer is obviously yes. From the time, I walked into this household, we both have been sharing the room and living together. I will feel anxious if he doesn't arrive on time and would be unable to sleep till he arrives home, safely.

My morning passed really well today. He actually made me coffee and also made tea for Maa and Dad.

I was folding clothes and arranging them in the cupboard when he entered the room.
"Thank you for the coffee." I told him sincerely

"Was it good enough?" he asked me

"Yes. By the way I prefer some butter in my coffee!" I informed him

"Noted ma'am!"

We both laughed and then I left for work after bidding him goodbye.
____________

To be continued...