<font color="#ff3333" size="3">Chapter Thirty Seven</font>
Everyone was back after the much needed recess. Judge Khan came and took her seat. The courtroom was in session.
"Mr.Garg you may resume" said she
"Your honour I call upon SSP Kannar Sahab to the stand" Garg looked really predatorily.
"I object your honour. SSP Kannar is not in the witness list" Astha sprang into action.
"Your Honour, taking to consideration the new information we got today its of the paramount importance that I speak to SSP Kannar. I'm sure Mrs. Almeida can come prepared tomorrow. I won't be done with him today anyways" Garg said looking at SSP Kannar.
"Objection overruled. I shall allow it. But Mr. Garg I'm warning you I don't want any dirty tactics in my courtroom" warned Judge Khan.
After the usual rituals were done Garg went for the kill. At least he said and thought so. He went closer to SSP and said quietly "By the time I'm done with you, you will wish you were never born"
"In that case let me cleanse my self with a dip in the Ganges, dress in white and lay on the funeral pier and answer. May I call my kids and my wife one last time?" with that SSP started the Battle Royal
Judge Khan had to slam the Hammer few times and call for order. They were still laughing.
"First of all - state your name and occupation to the court"
"Mr. Garg take it easy. We all know who SSP Kannar is. Get on with the questions" said she upholding her good friend's honour.
"Yes, your Honour. SSP Sahab, please explain to us how come you're still in charge of the Mumbai Crime unit?" he said.
He took out a card and wrote down some number and handed it over to Garg and said "This is the defence secretary's general number. Call and ask him. When I was offered the job I was told I was the prettiest. I could've been misled. You'll never know. Please feel free to ask him" chuckles just continued. This was the most fun anybody who's ever been to cover a court case had. The secretary was constantly looking at the judge feeling totally lost... she had no idea what to make of it all?
"You might need the number more than me SSP Sahab" smiled Garg coldly.
"Don't worry I have the Defence minister's personal number" Kannar leaned back in his seat feeling relaxed.
"When and why did you hire Mr.Angnihotri?"
"When...six years back. Why...isn't it obvious. I like to look at Pretty things too" again the courtroom was engulfed in laughter.
"I didn't know that Mumbai Crime Unit hires only beauties"
"Happy to enlighten you. We all like to look at pretty things. Can you blame us? We see such ugly things daily on the job... So looking at each other is the only respite we get"
Even Astha couldn't help herself, she felt as if she smiled after a lifetime. Just when you think he couldn't amaze you anymore he proves you wrong. What kind of a man is he. There was no fear no worry in his face.
"Were there any complaints, disciplinary actions against Mr. Agnihotri?"
"Yes just one. That he was too pretty. The HR people said they won't be to insure him"
"How would you describe his working style?"
"He liked to look pretty all the time. It was getting in the way of getting the work done. I had a pep talk with him and now he looks less pretty. So it's all good" it was a laugh riot in the courtroom. Judge Khan was fighting but losing the battle. Her hand was paining with all the slamming she had to do in the last few hours. She had almost given up.
"Did he break the law? If yes how and under what circumstances"
"Yes! He sometimes cuts the line when he parks. And once he drove over the ant line and animal rights groups have been mostly displeased about it" Kannar signed bitterly.
"SSP Kannar will you answer the questions seriously?" he was getting tethered by SSP Kannar bit by bit.
"Do you see me laughing? I'm serious and I answer as truthfully as I can. Giving you all the claims I have on Agnihotri"
"I will ask you one last time did he ever break the law?"
"If looking pretty is a crime then not just Agnihotri then my entire unit is guilty. Look at Gokhle for example he's the prettiest of all" everyone looked at Arjun and he wished he was invisible. He wanted to be gone, sink under the floor. He wished he was dead. Prettiest of them all. What the f*** is wrong with Tyson. Arjun was being punished for no fault of his. Just wrong place wrong time.
"Your Honour! The witness is being hostile" Garg folded his hands on his chest.
"Mr. Garg, only you're complaining, everyone else seems to be a having a Gala of all times. Get with it Mr. Garg"
"Why do I feel as if everyone is working against me today" he was mumbling to himself.
"So, according to you he just looked pretty and no laws were violated"
"Mrs. Almeida please object to this line of questioning. He's battering the witness with the same question over and over again" said SSP Kannar mocking to be distressed.
"He was no saint but he was no devil either. What was he to do if he was born looking like that? You should accuse his parents. It's his mother I was told" Looked like Kannar was getting the real pleasure from all this.
"What were the nature of his relationships with women?" inquired Garg.
" I can say without a doubt I've never had any complaints from anybody. So I assume satisfactory" the audience burst into homeric laughter.
"How many have there been?"
"Mr. Garg I'm not a condom dispenser nor a pimp. Do you see any bling or leopard pants on me?"
"Pants too tight for you SSP Sahab?" Asked Garg seeing him shift in his chair.
"No, just adjusting myselt to chastity belt"
"Well I thought you told me you needed to get provision from the defence ministry" finally Garg had line.
"My missis insisted we buy it ourselves. She'll be forever thankful to you" said SSP Kannar with a big grin on face.
The hammer fell from Judge Khan's hand because of constant slammering and for the first time she raised her voice "ORDER! ORDER!"
I'm not getting anywhere with you" Garg looked disappointed "Has he ever done anything unusual that made you question his dedication and loyalty?"
"If taking a bullet for your partner, not once but twice already and being the father figure to a fallen officer's little girl or always being the first and the biggest contributor in the charity collections then yes, he was. Or by unusual you mean extremely obscene behaviour of men and women coexisting in the same physical space and enjoying it? Then again yes. I Shall put an end to all this. I didn't know. You have enlightened me. You're like Jesus. Just keeps giving and giving. Don't you ever get tired"
Shlok realised what he'd always known to be true about his Chief. He always had your back. He was not the one to abandon ship and save himself. He had renewed admiration and respect for SSP Kannar.
"SSP Sahab, what have you got to say about these allegation against you're pretty members of the unit that got caught red handed taking bribes and working with under world. Aren't you ashamed?" Garg took out the a list of names from his files and handed it to Kannar.
"Ashamed? I can't cry anymore. My hanky all wet. Will you pass me the paper tisses? What can i say - I don't think they are pretty anymore. Read the fine print cousin vinny the heading itself says list of personnel convicted and terminated from active duty due to unlawful conduct. It's not easy to stay pretty. It takes a lot out of you. Some fall out of grace and we deal with them accordingly."
"I find it hard to believe that you didn't know about his extra curricular activities. If you didn't then that would make you unfit for the job"
"As long as the Commissioner thinks I'm pretty enough to stay in the unit I'll stay. Or if I feel I'm too pretty to be amongst them then I will take a call. I was the one who told him about his baby's death. So you know where we stand" said SSP Kannar and shot a glance at Shlok.
"Isn't it unethical to have him lead the investigation?"
"You think? I don't. But just to be on the safe side he himself resigned and is no longer part of the the investigation. Mr. Gokhle is heading it, just in case someone as righteous as you questions our integrity we wanted to be ready"
"Are there any more secrets you're concealing from us?"
"Once I saved a wounded swan... " Judge Khan started coughing to cover her laughter. Astha was beaming. Kannar continued "However, I'm open for a full body cavity search if you're up to it"
The gags kept coming in regularly. Some even forgot that this was a murder trial.
"Days proceeding to the murder or even afterwards did you notice anything peculiar about Mr. Agnihotri?"
"Peculiar? Let me think... like handcuffing himself by accident or talking to himself thinking one half is " a bad cop" and other half is "a good one"? Or exchanging laddo recipes with random people? Answer is no" No one could hold the laughter anymore.
"Is there anything you don't have an answer to?"
"Well yes of course. I'm no Steven Hawking. When and who will Salman Khan marry is still unknown to me?"
"SSP Sahab, one last question. In your expert opinion what do you think happened on that fateful September night"
"I thought you'd break in to a sad song and dance at the end. I'm glad you didn't. So you think I'm an expert now. My heart is jumping with joy. Bohoth khush. Well the obvious...nothing else"
"Which is?" Asked Garg enthusiastically like a puppy shown a bone.
"It was Gabbar sigh and Sambha. They killed Mr. Almeida and Mrs. Almeida was made to dance until she fainted. Then the hero came and saved the day. The end" the courtroom erupted once more and this time there was a voice from the audience as well. "kithne Aadmi the" and there was even a whistle. That was the limit.
Judge Khan slammed the Hammer as loud as she possibly could. "Order! Order! This circus has been going on for long enough. Mr. Garg get you're act together. I'm not impressed. You will not get a ticket to bollywood but a chit to Arthur Road! "
"Your Honour, this is even beyond me. It's all SSP Kannar. He refuses to answer any of my questions with the importance it requires. He's the one clowning around" said Garg defeated and exhausted reminding Judge Khan her own sons. SSP Kannar almost felt sorry for the guy.
"Mr. Garg are you done cross examining SSP Kannar" Judge Khan asked.
"I never even began. But I have no desire to continue either"
"Mrs.Almeida do you have any questions for SSP Kannar"
"Yes! Your Honour" answered Astha.
"Good luck! May be you'll have better luck with him getting a straight answer from him" saying Garg went upto his table and sat down with a sigh.
"Sir, if you felt that Mr. Agnihotri was in anyway involved in the murder of Mr.Almeida would you have allowed to be any part of the investigation"
"No. I have known Mr. Agnihotri from the time he joined the unit. And he's been an exceptional officer. Not even once given me a reason to doubt his loyalty or his work ethics. He's one of the best officers I've worked with" said SSP Kannar looking at Garg.
"Sir, In your view do you think the investigation or the evidence has been compromised in any way due to Mr. Agnihotris involvement with the main accused"
"Objection your Honour!" Garg was present as well. "Defence is leading the witness"
"Overruled! You may answer the question SSP Kannar" said judge sparing a glance at her good friend.
"No. Mr. Agnihotri may have been in charge but I always overlook everything. There is no room to defoul in my department. We don't get second chances with evidence. They all know the importance. I have full faith in my team"
"Your Honour, I have no further questions for SSP Kannar" said Astha looking at Judge Khan.
"SSP Kannar, you may step down. Thank you for your cooperation " said a smiling Judge Shanam Ali Khan.
Edited by Anunilmini - 11 years ago
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