"It is easy to discover mysteries... But hard to elucidate a mystery."

-Elegiac_Damsel
________
27th December
Indrayan's pov:

I woke up earlier than Sampurnaa today. When I woke up, there was a face hidden somewhere in my chest and a hand rested on mine.
It was Sampurnaa!
Judging from her position, it was perceptible that she had been feeling cold.

I gently removed her hand from mine and got up from the bed. I adjusted the duvet properly on her. It was 5.30 a.m.
There's a hearing at the court today. The hearing had been initially scheduled for Monday, but the justice stalled it since the Minister did not turn up, yet again. I did not have to go to New Delhi after all. The Minister had been travelling abroad; Sampurnaa was really relieved when I told her that I won't be meeting the Minister.

We don't know if he'll turn up today... But we hope he does.
Since I was up early, I decided to go for a jog. I changed into my tracks after freshening up. Sampurnaa woke up just as I was about to shut the door of the room.s

"Good morning. Where are you going?" she asked me while sitting up on the bed and stretching. She got up from the bed and then stood still.

"Oh shit!" she exclaimed and ran to the washroom

I walked up to the bed and then saw what had caused such a reaction from her.
There was a blood stain on the bed sheet.

I kept my phone and headphones aside and then picked up the duvet from the bed before stripping the bed sheet off the mattress.
Sampurnaa returned back two minutes later.
"I would have done it. You didn't have to come across something like this early in the morning! I am sorry... The bed just got spoilt... I should have been more cautious. You can go where you were going... I'll get the bed made freshly by the time you are back." she blabbered

I chose to not reply to her.

I got her towel from the drying rack and handed it to her.
"You can go and wash up if you want. I know that you have to change. I'll get these bed sheets soaked in water. Don't you worry."

She looked sceptical.
"You don't have to. I'll take them with me and get it done." she told me and then picked up the bed sheets

I stopped her. "What is wrong with you?" I asked her

"It is just that I... I can do this alone... I mean thank you for your help... But I can manage."

"You are not saying this because of old Indian stereotypes, right?" I asked her with my eyebrows raised

She flushed red and I knew that I had hit the nail on the head.
"It is not just that... Basically I can help myself out. I know you are there to help me... And trust me, I'll take your help whenever I need... But for now, let me just get things sorted. You go for jogging." she assured me

"Are you sure, you'll be able to manage?" I asked her again

She looked at me and her face relaxed as she smiled.
"I have spent 14 years of my life managing this alone. This happens with every woman! Even the maid who works at home... No one complains and no special attention need be given to me. It is a part and parcel of life... Anyways, if you have read any of those cliché stories where the husband literally waits his wife on hand and foot, during her mensuels; then be rest assured that I am not one of those wives and that I don't want one of those husbands."

I smiled at her and then told her that I would be back in an hour. She nodded and went to the washroom for freshening up.

Even after she told me to not worry much, I decided to creep downstairs and keep a bar of dark chocolate near her purse. She'll definitely see it!

...

The hearing was at 12 p.m.
Sampurnaa told me that she would meet me at the court directly as she had to go to St. Xavier's, Mumbai to host the Campus Talks there.
I drove to the court. Sampurnaa was waiting at the parking lot.

"Hi! Thank you for the dark chocolate!" she told me the moment I stepped out of the car

We both walked towards the courtroom when police cars started coming up the drive. A few cars followed with bodyguards and then a car with black tinted glass. A few more cars with security personnel drove up.

Sampurnaa nudged me, prompting me to look at her.
I raised my eyebrows.

"Finally, the Minister has arrived." she told me with a smile on her face.

...

There is a huge crowd outside the Mumbai High Court today. The media is going crazy with the news that the Union Health Minister is here at the court, for the hearing.
The justice walked in and we all rose. Once asked to begin the trial, I immediately requested the justice to allow me to call the Minister.

The minister was sworn in.

"Mr. Tripathi, Ms. Siddiqui has alleged that you were her business partner in the drugs case. What would you say to that?" I asked him

"Your honour, I have been to Mumbai only thrice in the last 5 years. You can verify that from my travel details and the campaigning dates. And as far as my hometown is concerned, I haven't been here in a long time, since I am required to travel abroad too. How can I be involved in the racket as Ms. Siddiqui said?"

Before I could ask him another question, Anya stood up from her seat and shouted,
"You want us to believe that! You double faced man! You were involved in the same business as I was throughout... The moment risk entered the scene, you chose to burn down Jannah!"

The justice intervened.
"Ms. Siddiqui! This is not how you are expected to behave at the court! Please, sit down... You'll get your chance to speak later. Prosecutor, please continue."

I nodded and continued.
"Your supposed friend and acquiantance, Col. Abraham Collins also stated that he approached you for financial help and that the job offered to him was to keep tabs on transactions and business deals of drugs that you and Anya saw into. We have his statement that he gave in this very court and in front of the Honourable Justice! Do you mean to say that his statement was a blatant lie?"

"Yes. I did offer him financial help... But because he is my friend, I did that for free. He must have joined forces with Anya Siddiqui for more money, behind my back. He is covering up now!" the Minister spoke out smoothly

This time the Colonel shot up to his feet, in a rage.
"You are trying to portray yourself as a philanthropist and as a paragon of friendship? Fie upon you! You bloody criminal... You dare to do things with our help and now you dare to..."
He was trying to come ahead towards the witness box. Fortunately the police restrained him.

"Please take your seat Col. Collins. And you are required to keep your temper in check at the court. This is a warning for you! Do not try to prove your physical prowess here under any pretext!" the justice told him sternly

The colonel finally sat down after apologising.

I sought permission in order to continue questioning.
"Mr. Tripathi, your brother who happens to be the Sarpanch of a village in Palghar district, sent a letter of application on a man's behalf. Mr. Raj Matthews, had applied for a job under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. He had been offered the job of a pharmacist at a central government run pharmacy on Malabar Hill. I have two questions for you:
1. What was a government run pharmacy doing in an area where the residents are well off?
2. What were drugs and adulterated medicines doing at the pharmacy?"

I asked him

The Minister answered without hesitating.
"The jobs offered when someone applied through the NREGA is totally the concern of the Human Resource Development ministry. How do I know anything about the job offered and what the man did there?"

I clenched my fist... Does he really think he's going to be let off scot-free?

"Mr. Tripathi, even if we take into consideration that the Employment and jobs offered are the concern of the HRD department, what do you have to say about the pharmacy and the medicines? Accept it or not... All medicines that are sold in retail, have to have the approval of the Health Minister, after it has gone through several composition tests. Would you please tell the court why the medicines sold at that 'government run pharmacy' had the required certification hologram or code?" I asked the minister

...

Sampurnaa's pov:

The minister is such a twisted man! Why is he trying to turn the tables?

Indrayan questioned him about the adulterated medicines. I really want to see if he will get himself to evade this question too.

The minister thought for a moment before answering, "The medicines are checked and tested by the research team. I am not a scientist, I am simply the people's representative who approves the medicines once they have been approved by the research team."

Indrayan's next question was a good one.
"Speaking of the fact that you are the people's representative, it has come to the attention of the public that female foeticide is being practiced openly, in all the rural government hospitals. Like you said, you represent people... Why are you so keen on denying some new members of our nation, the right to live? What do you have to say about that?"

"Female foeticide is a legitimate right that shouldn't be denied to parents. There are so many parents who either sell their children or abandon them right after birth... And if not that, the girls remain uneducated and are married off quickly. Those girls grow up to become liabilities.  Female foeticide is better for a girl than living a life full of taunts and sadness. Moreover, the population of the country can also be kept under check with this." he justified

To say that everyone was shocked would be an understatement.

His words brought forth a deafening silence in the courtroom. I really wanted to go and slap that Minister! How the hell did the people of our nation elect him as our representative?

The justice banged his gavel twice in order to silence the people who had begun whispering among themselves.

"You think girls are liabilities? You think denying females the right to live is a proper solution to population control? How can you say this??! Female foeticide is a criminal offence as stated by the Supreme Court of our country... You think you are above the law, Minister?" Indrayan asked him angrily

"No. I did not kill any girl. I simply made it easier for the parents... Why bring a child to the world only to give it pain? That is what a man from Rajasthan told me when I went for campaigning there. Hence, I permitted the practice. Those who are educated will never do something like this to their children or daughters! Those daughters are assets to the nation! Selective birthing, you see." the Minister spoke out again

Is he a sick man?

"You talk of selective birthing? Forgive me for saying this in court, Your Honour. But people like this minister are actually the ones who shouldn't be brought to the world! You talk about assets and liabilities? Narrow minded and cheap men like you are the greatest liabilities this nation can ever have!" Indrayan brought out in a fit of rage

I gasped. What is he doing? Is he crazy? Yet, I feel proud of him today.

The defendant stood up immediately.
"Objection! Your honour, the prosecutor is getting personal."

Instead of replying to the defendant, the justice chose to say instead, "The court will resume in half an hour's time."

He stood up and left while the rest of us were stupefied.
...

Indrayan is currently seated at his place with a static expression. I went and sat next to him.
"Selective birthing, really..." he would have continued had I not stopped him

"Focus! Your purpose is not to lock horns with the minister. Your anger is justified... But really uncalled for at the court! Question him, Indrayan... Do not let others question you!"
He nodded and brought his head to rest on my shoulder. I sat still, allowing him to rest his head for a minute or two.

"Here, drink some water." I handed him my water bottle

...

"The court resumes. Prosecutor please continue with the questioning." the justice announced after 30 minutes.

Indrayan stood up and proceeded with the trial.
"Minister, you have been accused by Ms. Siddiqui, Col. Collins and also Mr. Raj Matthews and Mr. Arvind Jena. They clearly stated that you were the mastermind behind the entire case along with Ms. Anya Siddiqui. Do you accept, deny or choose to not comment on these allegations?" he asked the Minister

"I deny the allegations." his reply came

"That's all for now, your honour. I would like to question him again later, as and when required." Indrayan told the judge and then returned back to his seat

He turned to look at me once. I gestured him to keep calm and he nodded.

"Defendant, your witness!" the justice told the defendant

The defendant began questioning the minister.
"Minister Tripathi, you have denied all the allegations that have been made against you, what do you have to say about the allegations? In the sense, if you haven't done anything, then why do you think that you were falsely alleged?"

"Certain journalists" he began and glanced towards me
I matched his gaze and looked at him challengingly
He continued, "Certain journalists who are new, have the tendency to farm false news and rumours in their favour, in order to gain popularity. Initially, all this began with one such newbie reporter who decided to change the world. She caught the true criminals and then she must have fed them money to lie in the court.... Which is why they are making statements and allegations against me. I heard that she even accused a few men of molesting her, I am sure it was all a gimmick to gain fame! I am sure that the lawyer is also someone she either paid in cash, or kind." he said the last part of the sentence while looking at Indrayan

His words burnt me!
How dare he say all this? I couldn't even react! I closed my eyes tightly and counted backwards from 100. I opened my eyes again.
Indrayan shot up to his feet.
"You can't speak of any woman like that, Minister! How can you? You are literally accusing her of bribing criminals and also taking digs at her character!"

The defendant answered him while smirking rudely, "Prosecutor, I am currently questioning the witness. You cannot interfere this way! What he is saying might be true, which is why it is affecting you so much!"

Indrayan clenched his fist and then said, "Objection! Your honour, the minister and the defendant are making personal remarks about a woman."
The justice spoke out, "Objection sustained. The witness and the defendant are requested to refrain from saying anything derogatory about a woman or her character."

"Before they proceed, your honour, I'd like to say one thing to the Minister." Indrayan turned to face the Minister, "That woman there... That journalist, happens to be my wife!"

He resumed his seat and the court resumed.

The defendant's next question was, "You said that you permitted female foeticide in the rural hospitals as it seemed to be a great way in which population can be controlled. It happens to be against the order issued by the Supreme Court. Would you tell the court why you sanctioned it?"

The minister's reply came as, "The laws and bills passed have the names of all the Ministers. No bill can be passed without the consent of the people or the MPs. Being a Union Minister, I realised that several people thought that their freedom to choose and their right to freedom were threatened. Hence, I permitted them to do what they want. I reinforced their freedom."

Although I was listening to his words, I really wasn't absorbing them. He thinks he is above the law? Saviour of democracy?
Whereas in reality, he is a deceptive man who is showing his true colours now.

The defendant's next question was, "If you consider permitting female foeticide as a step towards freedom, what would you say about drugs? Are the youth doing justice by taking drugs?"

"No they are not. The youth who take drugs have been given birth to and brought up by their parents. Their lives were desired by their parents... If they take drugs and push their lives towards danger, then affect their lives and their parents'."

Indrayan stood up perplexed.
"Your honour, the minister seems to think that every human is either a liability or an asset!"

"Yes! We don't want such a minister in our country!" someone shouted from behind

"Put him in prison!" a group of people cheered

Sridha was sitting next to me. She shouted too , "A minister who's a coward to not accept his crimes... One who tries to degrade a woman in order to divert attention... He isn't fit to be a Member of Parliament! He deserves to be thrown out!"

I pulled her down immediately and asked her to shut up.
She obliged but no one else did.

The defendant tried out in vain to resume questioning.
"Were you at all involved in the drugs case or anything else?" she asked

Unfortunately her voice was overpowered by the constant protests from the people.

The minister's bodyguards escorted him outside through another door while the others remained seated. The people continued shouting against the minister.

"Order! Order! All of you quiet down! The judge presiding over this High Court of Justice will surely take the necessary steps. For now, I request everyone to sit down." the judge bellowed in order to get the people to quieten down.

"The court will take the necessary action against the fugitives on the last hearing. The High Court of Justice in Mumbai would order immediate house arrest for the Union Health Minister of India, Mr. Ramlal Tripathi. Mr. Mohd. Ibrahim Siddiqui, Ms. Anya Siddiqui, Mr. Raj Matthews, Mr. Arvind Jena, Ms. Rani and Col. Abraham Collins are required to be in police custody throughout. The court will resume the trial, State vs. Ibrahim Siddiqui, Anya Siddiqui and Ramlal Trpathi on the next date i.e., 2nd January at 12 p.m.
The court is adjourned!" the judge hit the gavel and left the court

Sridha helped me up. She took me outside the courtroom and made me stand against a pillar. The minister's words and the defendant's were still resounding in my ears!
"...in cash, or kind..."

A few tears escaped my eyes.
I know I shouldn't be affected by what he said... Who's he anyways? Just a bloody fugitive! But...

"Sampurnaa!" it was Indrayan

Sridha had gone to call him. He held my hand and looked at me.
And I did something I hadn't expected myself to do.
...

Indrayan's pov:

That bloody man made such degrading comments about Sampurnaa! He literally accused her of bribing fugitives, trapping him unjustly and also of being characterless!
I controlled my temper with a lot of effort!

I couldn't speak to Sampurnaa at the court... I had to speak to her.
Just after the court was adjourned, the justice summoned me and the defendant to his chamber. He asked the two of us to maintain protocol at court and also expressed his displeasure over what had happened at the court today.

The defendant was shooting daggers at me, but I did not look at her even once. Even before the judge could finish with us, Sridha found her way in.
I was shocked to see her there! The justice's chamber isn't accessible to everyone!

"Di is crying!" Sridha told me
I wanted to go to her immediately, but I hesitated.
"Ms. Ranjan, this isn't the way you enter the judge's chamber." the justice told her

She nodded and left.

"Ma'am defendant, you may leave." he dismissed her

The defendant went away.

"Mr. Chakraborty, what happened at the court today was totally unanticipated, however I must ask you to keep your temper in check! Please go out to your wife now, but remember what I said." he told me

"Yes, your honour. I'll keep that in mind." I told him and walked away after wishing the justice a good day

It was 5 p.m. now. I doubt if Sampurnaa will be in a state to go for work today.
I made my way towards where Sridha and Zakir were. They pointed towards a pillar where Sampurnaa was leaning against and crying silently.

"Sampurnaa!" I called out to her.

She turned and looked at me. And then she crashed into my chest and began sobbing.

"Would... He... Have said... All this... If I was a man?" she asked me while crying

I put my arms around her and allowed her to sob. She quietened down after a long time. I gently kissed the top of her head and put an arm around her shoulder and took her towards the parking lot.
While the two of us where walking, a few reporters came and tried to ask her questions.

"Ms. Roy, what would you like to say about the Minister making personal comments about you?"
"The minister accused you of giving the fugitives money. How true is that?"

I shouted a quick 'no comments' and asked the court security and the local police to help us out.
They helped us go to the parking lot. I helped Sampurnaa into the front seat and fastened the belt for her. I got in too and then began driving.

____________

To be continued...