Astha took her seat in the witness stand and she was sworn in. Put under oath to tell the truth and nothing but the truth. She kept glancing at SSP Kannar, she knew he had faith in her. If he believes me then I can do this. That was her thinking. SSP Kannar's one look gave her the strength.
"Mrs. Almeida, for the record please state the circumstances of your marriage to the deceased?"
"There were no circumstances, he saw me and asked my father for marriage that's it." She said looking at Mr. Garg.
"We're all adults here Mrs. Almeida, you don't honestly expect us to believe it was that simple. Tell us the real reason why you're father got you married off to a man who was old enough to be you're father?" He said with a smug grin.
"I'm not the one behaving like a child. You are. No matter what I say your perception about my marriage to my dead husband won't change. So I'm not going to waste everyone's time trying"
"Mrs. Almeida, I will decide that. But I would like to know why you agreed to marry him" judge Khan sure ran a tight ship.
"Your Honour, I didn't have a choice. It was all decided by my parents. I just had to accept and be a good wife" she said looking at the judge.
"Did you hate him for taking you away from your family" she asked again.
"I was angry with my parents not him. He was a good man. He treated me well. Took care of me"
"And this is how you repaid him" said Garg showing her and the rest a picture of James lying in a pool of blood. She closed her eyes as if to block the memories. There were gasps in the courtroom.
"Mr. Garg, they don't make the decision I do. Remember that" said Judge Khan when Garg was showing the crime scene photo to the reporters sitting in courtroom.
"Mrs. Almeida, would you say you're relationship with your husband was normal" Garg continued with his questions.
Shlok was feeling very uneasy with the line of questions she was being asked. Only he knew the fact that they didn't share the same bed. And that he was a bisexual. If they have that information he will drag her through the mud. He knew very well. And then the miscarriage. She will be taken apart by Garg. He was known for his dirty tactics.
"I don't know what is normal. I'm sure your wife thinks her relationship with you is normal. Likewise I felt the same way" there were few chuckles here and there. This infuriated Garg.
"Mrs. Almeida, I'm still here standing. So My wife is not the one on trial for murder. You are. Let me be more direct with you. Was he able to sexually satisfy you?"
"Objection your Honour. I see no relevance" said Astha.
"Your Honour, it is important to establish the kind of relationship they had. To prove her motive"
"Objection Overruled! Mrs. Almeida you may answer the question"
Her eyes met shlok's for few seconds. He looked helpless. She shifted her eyes back to Garg. "If I say yes then you'd ask me how many times we did it in a week. Well I can't remember the exact number but let me say at least once a week in spite of him being a very busy man. Travelled a lot. I realised this very early in our marriage not to be too clingy and too demanding. I was happy with what I got. They say it's not the quantity but the quality that matters" she said very affirmatively. That gained few more chuckles.
Judge Khan had to use up all her will to not to join in with the chuckles. She slammed her hammer few times and called for order.
"So you accept he wasn't around most of the time and you spent many lonely nights. How did you cope with the loneliness"
"Well if your asking if I was into pleasuring myself that's none of your business and how I spent my lonely nights is not important"
"Mrs. Almeida it becomes my business to find out when it turns out that the two of you didn't share the same bed and when were you planning on telling the good detectives your dead husband was a bisexual. That he was keeping himself busy with male prostitutes" there was lot of muffled chatter, whispers gasps.
"Order! Order!" Commanded the judge banging the hammer to get everyone to settle down.
Astha didn't know what hit her. All her controlled emotions was in a dissarry. She looked at Shlok and he looked even more agitated and then she looked to her guiding light, SSP Kannar. He looked calm but the look in his eyes pierced her soul. He looked disappointed. She felt more upset about that than the revelation made by Garg.
"Mrs. Almeida! Answer the question" he was demanding.
When she stayed silent "Mrs. Almeida is this information correct?" Asked the judge.
"Yes your Honour" she said in a meek voice.
"How long have you known. And how did you find out" asked Garg
"Two years and I received a video"
"Why didn't you divorce him? Why didn't you tell anyone. Even after he was killed. Didn't you think that was important information Mrs. Almeida?"
"He begged me not to. He made me promise not to reveal his secret. Unlike others I keep my promises even in his death. I didn't want his name to be tarnished"
"How noble and selfless of you Mrs. Almeida, is that why he gave you all his money his properties and his business as well? You blackmailed him?"
"Why he did what he did only he knows. I tried to make him change his mind when he made me a 50% partner of his company. May be he did it out of guilt. But I never made him feel so. He knew it too. Beside his weakness he was a good human being. I know you and many would fail to understand my reasons. I can't change people's minds. But I have a clear conscience and that helps me to sleep at night"
"Pardon me Mrs. Almeida for not giving you a standing ovation for you superlative performance. But tell me one more thing was it your idea or the father of your child to have him killed before he found out about your loyalty" the court room erupted with Lawrence hurling abuses at Ashta.
"You little w**** this is what you've been up to. Making a bas***d heir to our money. Over my dead body. You hear me. You s**t...I'll kill..." SSP Kannar saw Shlok was fast loosing his head and was about to stand up and grab Lawrence. He just said very calmly "Agnihotri sit" and he realised what he was about to do. Just then the judge ordered him to be romoved from courtroom. He had to be dragged out by two constables. She ordered the room to be fully silenced or the session will end. The courtroom was once more in order.
"Mrs. Almeida please answer the question. Who is the father of the child" Garg demanded.
"There in no father. For there is no child" she said looking at Shlok.
"Mrs. Almeida answer the question. Don't play with words. Recess is over" Garg wanted his answer.
"I'm sad. I was just getting warmed up" she said composing herself.
"Mrs. Almeida, don't be a Miss. Smarty pants in my court room. Answer the question" Judge Khan was in it too.
"Don't tell me it was Mr. Almeida, we all know that he didn't dig you anymore. No pun intended" Garg said grinning. He got few chuckles this time.
"Mr. Garg I'm not judging Comedy Circus. So keep your punchlines to yourself" Judge Khan was quick to put the boy in his place.
"He was no one your Honour. I didn't know him at all" she said looking at Shlok.
"How many have there been? Where do you meet them" Garg was looking for his comeback line.
"If I say one would you believe?" Ashta said
"No" said Garg
"In that case why do you ask a question that you already have an answer "
"Is it you're general practice to get in to bed with random men you don't even know the name? You do know we have a name for such..."
"I'm the father. I was the father. She was my wife" everybody's attention was turned towards source of the voice. He stood up Arjun was trying to pull him down. He claimed what was his. He was not going to let her get humiliated for his sake. He didn't have anything to loose that was more precious than her self respect. He couldn't stand to hear another derogatory remark on her character. It was now or never. He knew his chief won't like it, the crime units' integrity will be maligned. But that moment he didn't care. All he cared was she does not take the blame for something he's responsible as well.
"Order! order! Judge Khan was trying very hard to maintain the order in her courtroom. Finally she managed to silence the crowd.
"Mr. Agnihotri, you do realise you're still under oath. And if your lying you do know purjury carries a prison sentence" judge Khan was trying to make sense of it all.
"Your Honour. I know what I'm doing. I'm telling the truth" Shlok said
"Mrs. Almeida is he telling the truth. Is he the father of your child. Are you pregnant?" Judge Khan was not pleased with the surprise guest appearance.
Astha looked down and didn't answer. 'Answer me child. I will have you in contempt of court" she said once more.
"Yes! Your Honour! I suffered a miscarriage when I was hit in the stomach while in remand custody" With it again the buzzing started. Judge again called for order.
"Mr. Agnihotri please sit down. I shall call you onto the stand once Mr. Garg is done with Mrs. Almeida" Judge Khan.
" I demand to be heard. This farce has been going on for long enough" Shlok said refusing to let Garg have a go at Astha with the new information.
"Mr. Agnihotri, I will not tolerate that kind of tone in my courtroom. Speak with respect"
" I apologise Your Honour. But I want to be heard. Put me on the stand"
"I decide who talk when. And now Mrs. Almeida is still being cross examined. Sit down"
"Mrs. Almeida do you have any more surprising information that you want to share with us"
She was silent. Shlok kept looking at her. She looked up and looked for him. SSP Kannar was rendered helpless. Arjun was in a daze. Not sure what was happening around him. He felt as if he was waiting for the car crash to happen. And there was nothing he can do about it. To stop it.
"Mr. Garg get on with it. If you don't have any questions let her go" Judge Khan was in action.
"Mrs. Almeida please explain the nature of your relationship with Mr. Agnihotri"
"There nothing to explain"
"Is it just me or did anybody else hear baby daddy say you're his wife. How do you explain that"
"Why don't you ask him yourself Mr.Garg"
"I will. But you're the so called wife in this marriage. So I'm asking you"
"Mrs. Almeida please answer the question". Judge Khan said
"He was the Chief investigative officer in my husbands murder case. One thing led to another and few moths later I found I was pregnant. Mr. Agnihotri didn't know I was pregnant"
"Why didn't you tell him? Didn't he have a right to know? " "women" he said as he was taking few paces away from her.
"We had gone our separate ways by then" she said trying not to glance at Shlok.
"I find it all too convenient Mrs. Almeida. This whole investigation looks like a sham to me. Don't you think so SSP Kannar sahab?" He said with a sarcastic grin in his face and looking at SSP Kannar.
"Mr. Garg! SSP Kannar is not the one sitting in the witness stand. So refrain from directing questions" judge Khan said sparing a glance at her old good friend.
"Yes, your Honour. He was in on it from the beginning. Am I right Mrs.Almeida? He helped you to kill Mr. Almeida? Whose idea was it to kill Mr. Almeida?"
"I met him for the first time when he came to my house to investigate. We have never crossed our paths before that day. And I wish we never did"
"I'm gutted seeing your plight Mrs. Almeida. After everything that you've been up to I find it hard to believe anything you say. Let's assume hypothetically that all that you said was true. What I don't understand is who are you trying to fool with you're sob strory. You lied about your relationship with your own husband. Wait a minute...which? Yes your dead husband. I forgot it doesn't matter. You lied about both. You lied about everything. How many have there been before him Mrs. Almeida? How many "miscarriages" have you had Mrs. Almeida? Did you ever love your husbands? Whose the flavour of the month now? Kannar Sahab tell your boys to keep their pants zipped up. Rest of them at least. You'll never know with black widow under your roof. No one is safe" he said suggestively.
"Thank you for the timely warning Mr. Garg. We're indebted to you. I shall write an urgent letter to the commissioner asking to make funds available for chastity belts for my boys. It's the need the of the hour. Not bullet proof vests. Mrs. Kannar will be forever grateful to you. We'll be honoured if you'd come for the ceremony and put he first one on me" said SSP Kannar loosing his patientce. Again the audience erupted with laughter. This was getting better than Comedy Nights with Kapil.
"SSP Kannar" echoed in the room when judge Khan reprimanded him for his outburst. He gave her a sly smile and she just looked at her with an all knowing flick of the lashes. They understood each other very well. They always did. Words were not needed even then and not now. She let him defend the integrity of his unit. She knew Garg was a slimy jerk who always tries to take pot shots at the police.
Shlok was being held by Arjun. He tried to stand up and charge Garg more than once. Second time it was SSP Kannar that got through to him. "Agnihotri, don't create more drama". He had no choice but to pay heed to his words. Astha saw the rage in Shlok. She didn't want him to make things worst for himself nor for Mr. Kannar. She knew he's very disappointed in her. With everything being revealed. But it was not the time to think of spilled milk. She had to face it all. Fight it out the best possible way.
"That's enough Mr. Garg. Stick to the facts"
"I don't know about the rest of the men in this room, but you're safe Mr. Garg, road kill is not my thing"
With it the entire court room erupting with laughter. Even judge Khan couldn't help herself either.
It took her some time to call for order. And when she finally did Mr. Garg walked back to his table "I have no further use for this witness"
"I call upon Mr. Agnihotri to the stand." Added Garg.
"Mrs. Almeida you may step down" informed Judge Khan.
With it she got up and stepped down and as she walked towards her table Shlok walked passed by her. She could smell his fragrance and if she thought she was over him, she got a resounding "no". Her heart Rate increased and lost the will to walk away from him. Was she glad that he walked away? And took his seat in the stand once again.
"Mr. Agnihotri I remind you once more you're still under oath" said Judge Khan.
"I know your Honour" said Shlok.
"Mr. Agnihotri you've been keeping things from us. Why don't you tell the court why you didn't deem important to divulge the fact that you and Mrs. Almeida were and item?"
"For you're information we were never an item. We loved each other and planned to make a life for ourselves once all this is over. It didn't work out, we parted ways. Our relationship had no impact on the investigation. Nothing was compromised. It was not important to anybody else but only to me and her. Nobody else" Shlok said looking straight at her.
"Mr. Agnihotri, in an ideal world your statement would've been taken on face value. But we all know we're not, so forgive me for not getting down on me knees and apologising profusely for my folly. Fact remains You and your little missy had us all fooled. Even the great SSP Kannar. To play a fast one on him is no easy task. I must say I'm impressed. But I'm not here to write your appraisal" he said looking at SSP Kannar.
"We weren't born yesterday. The two suspects accused of killing Mr. Almeida, Ajith and Brijesh are just being unlawfully framed. It was no one but you and you're missy that killed him. She's the only one who saw them. How very convenient. Tell me did you celebrate while he was bleeding to death downstairs?"
"In case you weren't informed, we have a written confession from Brijesh. He was not coerced into making that confession. We have the video evidence if care to see. It's not interesting like po*n but I'm sure you'd be ale to sit through it without wanting to jerk off." He was referring to an incident were Garg was caught watching po*n in His mobile during a deposition. Again the room was filled muffled laughter.
"Mr. Agnihotri, may remind you that you're in my courtroom and I will not tolerate locker room talk. Do I make myself clear."
"I apologise your Honour" said Shlok genuinely apologetic to have offend her.
"You may continue" said she accepting the apology.
"Unlike you we go as per the evidence. We have evidence to believe Mrs. Almeida is being framed by someone with vested interests. We have another suspect who matches her description and we have DNA, fingerprint and bank statement evidence to prove it. I believe Mrs.Almeida is innocent" he said looking st her. She looked St him for few seconds and looked down at the papers on her table.
"Aww! Omg!" Said he clapping and fluttering his eyes. "That's it the case is closed. What Mr. Agnihotri thinks is what materes. I don't know what was I thinking. Of course you think she's innocent. Did she convince you before or after you made her pregnant? Lets call it a day"
"Its not what's between the legs that makes the decisions but what the evidence says. Unlike zeros and skirts that make the world go round for you."
"Yes let's call it a day. That's the first sensible thing you said all day"said judge Khan.
They even talk alike thought Arjun.
"The court will take one hour recess and resume precedings" she banged the hammer got up from her seat. Giving one last glance at her good old freinds. And he acknowledged with a very reserved smile.
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