Everyone was really hopeful, that now the proofs have been submitted, soon Raj will be free.

The hearing has been scheduled for 1600 hrs, the next day.

Abhimanyu gave the letter to Naina privately, thinking she might not want to share it with others.
However, in the excitement of all that has happened, Naina kept it in her pocket, and temporarily forgot abt it.

....

The Hearing.

The court is in session.
The six cadets, Abhi, Gunny and Shalini, all are present.
Raj is brought in.
No one fails to notice his altered appearance.
He looks worn, tired, and there is a gash on his left cheek, suggesting some cruel handling. Who knew how much his clothes concealed.
However, seeing them, he smiled slightly.

Announcer : This court is in session, everyone please take your seat.

The Jury is seated, so is the presiding officer.

Judge : "Members of the Jury, have you reviewed the proofs submitted to you, in this case by the three Captains seated here?"

The Jury nodded. And gave a piece of paper, with the verdict written on it, to be handed over to the Judge.

He read the Verdict.

"This case, initially incriminated Captain Rajveer Singh Shikhawat based only on circumstantial evidence, and his own confession.
Captain Shikhawat named several ranked officers of the Indian Army, as accomplices.
Captain Abhimanyu Rai Chauhan, Captain Shalini Singhal, and Captain Gunraj Singh Randhawa, had submitted some new proofs, in the light of which, this Jury rules that, all the accomplices named, were named correctly, and they are to be taken into immediate custody.
Also, the documents incriminate several ministers, namely, (he proceeded to named each, including Lala Gehlot).........."

This came as a shock to everyone, because they hadn't read everything in the documents, due to the scarcity of time.
Everyone's eyes turned to Raj, who seemed complicit. There was a sadness on his face.
But he was still composed.

Abhi wondered how long Raj had known.
Of them all, he was the one who knew Raj's relation with Gehlot, the most.
Others merely knew that Raj respected him a lot, as his mentor.
He wondered how Raj had handled this, when he first came to know abt this.
His mind wondered back to a couple of weeks. When Raj had suddenly started looking extremely tensed.
He wondered how he had managed to do all this, alone, in so few days.
Abhi forced himself to break his chain of thought, and listen to what the judge was saying.

".......The proofs also reinforce, that Captain Shikhawat was involved with all of the before named persons, and the charges against him, stand as they were.
This court, therefore rules, that his execution be carried out, tomorrow at 1600 hrs, in the same manner, as previously ordered.
This court thanks the three Captains, and all who helped them, for their sevices.
This court is adjourned.

Naina, who has been getting more and more distressed,  finally cannot hold herself.

"(Crying) Noooo! Please...Please Sir, there has been some mistake! This is not true. He is not guilty!.
We have proofs!...We ....

Abhi : Yes Sir, these documents prove Captain Shikhawat's innocence! I am sure there has been some mistake. Please sir, please reconsider...

Everyone is speaking at once. There is chaos in the court.

Presiding Officer : The documents submitted by you all, have been extensively reviewed Captain.
Only then has this verdict been reached.
If you have any thing else to submit, you are welcome to do so.
If not, this court is adjourned.

They all look at Raj, helplessly.
To their surprise, he is still calm, unmoved, and unsurprised.

.......

The 9 of them, along with some others, are reviewing the documents the entire night, in hopes of finding something, some little thing, which might save him.

.......

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