19 January 2021

Tiz Hazari Sessions Court

New Delhi

"The court is adjourned." With the sound of the gavel, Gauri heaved a sigh of relief, before schooling her looks, collecting her paperwork and making her way out of the courthouse. The victim's family looked stricken and Riya, the accused's cousin had tears in her eyes.

Banerjee stared at the retreating form of Gauri with a wry smile on his face. He still wasn't sure how Gauri had managed to introduce evidence that wasn't previously shared during discovery. An anonymous call, she had stated. And more time to track this new witness. She had refused to divulge the name of the witness, citing fears of this new witness turning hostile as well, just like their earlier one had. Prosecution had argued against the request, but the judge had overruled, giving Gauri two weeks to produce her new witness. A judgement would be passed two weeks from now, with or without the new witness.

Gauri had just bought them two more weeks. For what Banerjee didn't know. He didn't expect anything to change. But the tears in Riya's eyes changed his mind. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. She had given her hope.

*****

As Gauri made her way out, she was harshly pulled into an empty courtroom.

"Leave me," she hissed.

"What are you doing, Gauri?" 

Gauri turned her eyes into little slits as she looked at Arjun Pandit, the Assistant Superintendent of Police, Delhi Police. Arjun and Gauri had a camaraderie of sorts, they had worked together on a number of very challenging cases. The duo had been touted for their ingenious ways until one fine day, the partnership went downhill. 

"Why do you care?" she barked, rubbing her tender wrists that had just experienced abrasion. 

"You know I am an eyewitness in this case. I know what I saw."

Gauri stared squarely into the eyes of Arjun waiting for him to continue.

Unnerved by her silent challenge, Arjun tried to explain himself. "Raj is a criminal, Gauri. I saw him running from the scene. I chased him and arrested him."

"Did you see him committing the murder?" She deadpanned.

"Gauri, he was fleeing the crime scene," he implored, leaving her hand, placing himself in front of her.

She crossed her hands in front of her chest, goading him to continue.

"He was alone with Bhoomi, in a secluded area, in the outskirts of the City, far away from the restaurant they were dining in and either of their homes. I inquired, and learnt that it wasn't even the usual route that Raj took to drop Bhoomi home."

"Did they always dine at the same restaurant?"

"No, but...."

Gauri placed her palm squarely in front of his face. "Save whatever you want to say for your deposition." She turned around and walked out of the room.

Arjun frustratedly punched the wall. Why didn't she understand? Why wouldn't she listen to him? His mind went back to the last happy conversation they'd had six months ago.

"I love you Gauri!"

Her flabbergasted look had told him everything he'd needed to hear.

"Listen to me before you take a decision," he'd begged her. And she had, for their friendship's sake. But everything had changed after that. At least for him.

*****

Reading glasses perched on, Gauri once again poured over the stuff they'd received as part of discovery, files scattered across her work desk, papers strewn in a haphazard way. She turned to look at her cork board she'd pinned. Raj was there, right in the middle of the Board, his Driver's License mug shot surrounded by a bunch of photos. She walked up to the board and pulled a photo off it. The one that had been taken just before the Bhoomi was killed.

Three of the people on that photo were testifying against Raj, one had turned hostile. The girl next to him was Bhoomi, the victim. Then there were three more kids in that photo. Adarsh, Sanjay and Neeraj. Sanjay and Neeraj were of particular interest to her. They were Bhoomi's friends, but no one had been able to touch base with them, despite numerous attempts. The phone number provided for them had been switched off until two days back.

On a hunch, Gauri picked up her cellphone and dialed the numbers yet again. The automated response on the other end indicated that they had been disconnected from service.

Who were these two? And why were they so hard to find?