CHAPTER 36 - Turning the tables
"Mom, you here so early? Your hearing is in the afternoon. Isn't it?"
Swadheenta asked after Suhasini walked up to her.
"Yes, it is. I had some other work. By the way, has the chargesheet been filed against Baweja?"
Suhasini asked
"Yes, the first hearing is next week."
Swadheenta said, trying to figure out Suhasini's intention.
"Swadheenta, I hope you know that I am an important witness in your case against the Bawejas."
Suhasini reminded her
Swadheenta nodded.
"Then you should understand that questioning my mental stability is going to make things very difficult for you."
Suhasini pointed out to her
Swadheenta was shocked. How did Mom know this?
Seeing her silent, Suhasini said
"I know you want to save me. That is why you have taken this step. I just wanted to point out that your action can do more harm than good"
"I am sorry Mom. But you should not take all the blame upon yourself. We can't let that happen."
Swadheenta said
"Who told you that I am taking all the blame? I am taking only my share of the blame. Let the hearing start. Everything will be clear to you."
Suhasini said in an assuring tone.
"But Mom, Adarsh wants.."
Swadheenta could not complete her sentence as her phone started ringing. It was Adarsh's call. She excused herself from her mother in law to attend the call.
Adarsh told her how Suhasini had spoiled their plan. Swadheenta asked him not to worry and come to the court.
When she turned around after hanging up, Suhasini was nowhere in sight.
Adarsh and Jaidev met Swadheenta at the court after some time.
"So, all our plans have failed."
Adarsh said sighing.
"Yes, it is futile to try and convince her."
Swadheenta said.
"Now our last hopes lie with Jaidev Bhai"
Adarsh said looking at his brother.
"Are you sure, you are not going to support Dad this time?"
Swadheenta asked suspisciously
"Yes, I have decided to support the truth this time. Even if it means going against my parents. I believe they will forgive me for this."
Jaidev said.
"Yes, they will. Don't worry Bhai"
Adarsh assured his brother
It was time for Jaidev's questioning. He went inside.
Adarsh and Swadheenta waited outside anxiously.
"Mr. Jaidev Sinha, what do you know about your father's involvement with Alan Brod?"
One of the enquiry committee members asked him.
"He went to speak to Brod on behalf of the government. Brod told him that he wanted to get out of jail as fast as possible. He wanted Dad to help him with that."
Jaidev paused
Interrogator: "So, what did Mr. Manohar Sinha do?"
Jaidev: "He conveyed the message to Minister A.K. Chaudhry. The ministry was deliberating on the matter when Brod informed about the Bomb Blasts that were about to take place."
Interrogator: "But before that the terrorism charges against him had already been dropped. Did your father have anything to do with that? Did he do it in the hope of getting a share in the 1100 crore?"
Jaidev, hesitating a bit: "Dad asked Mom to help defend Brod. He told me once that if we get a share of the money, it would be nothing wrong."
Interrogator: "Therefore Alan Brod transferred the money to his and Mr. Chaudhary's account. Am I right."
Jaidev nodded.
Interrogator : "That will be all, thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Sinha"
Adarsh saw Jaidev come out. His legs were shaking badly. Adarsh ran and held him. He took him to a nearby bench and made him sit down. Jaidev looked very miserable. He turned to his brother and said,
"What have I done Adarsh. I have put both Mom and Dad into trouble. I am afraid.."
At that moment he felt a gentle touch on this shoulder. It was his mother. She looked at him said softly.
"It's fine Jaidev. You have done nothing wrong. So don't be afraid. Everything will be alright."
Swadheenta and Manohar also arrived there. They too consoled him.
Soon the committee called Suhasini. She asked Adarsh to take care of Jaidev and went inside.
"Mrs. Sinha, it has come to our knowledge that you had prepared the bail papers of Allan Broad. Can you explain why you were trying to save a terrorist?"
Justice Sengupta asked the first question.
"I was just doing my job as his defence lawyer. The bail papers were prepared in accordance with the chargesheet that had been filed by the police."
Suhasini put forward her point.
"But Broad is a terrorist. Wasn't your act against the interests of the country?"
Justice Mehta asked. This was his chance to get back at her for all his previous defeats.
"He might be a terrorist, but he had agreed to turn into an approver for the government. This fact was kept a secret from the media. The government negotiated with him for getting information about the activities of his organisation. In return, he wanted his sentence to be lessened. That is why I prepared his bail papers to show him that the government was keeping its promise. As a matter of fact, it was Brod who informed first about the plan to carry blasts in the city"
Suhasini explained
"You mean to say you did not do it in return for the 100 crores."
Another member asked
"I just asked for my fees as his lawyer, but in his overenthusiasm he transferred the whole 100 crores into my account. Now since the matter was confidential, I only intimated a senior minister about it. I did not know he would blackmail Brod into giving him money."
Suhasini was cleverly playing her game.
"But Allan Broad has told us that it was Mr. Manohar Sinha who had asked for the money. It was on his insistence that Broad transferred 400 crores into Mr. A.K. Chowdhary and Mr. Sinha's account."
Justice Sengupta asked.
"Allan Broad says a lot of things. He even said that Haider Jilani was a terror mastermind. Do you think his words can be trusted?"
Suhasini asked in return.
"But even you son Jaidev Sinha has testified that Mr. Manohar Sinha wanted a share in the money."
Justice Mehta pointed out.
"Well I don't know what exactly he said but I think Jaidev misunderstood his father"
Suhasini tried to find a way to counter this.
"According to Jaidev Sinha, Manohar Sinha said, "If we get a share of the money, there is nothing wrong in that"
Justice Sengupta read out Jaidev's statement.
Suhasini smiled,
"See, I told you he misunderstood. Actually by "we", he meant the government. Manohar negotiated with Brod as a representative of the government. It is definitely not wrong for the government to confiscate the black money of Alan Brod."
Justice Mehta was stumped. He did not know how to trap her now.
Nevertheless he made one last attempt.
"Well fine, but isn't 100 crores a bit too much for a lawyer's fees?"
"I am not denying that, but I have not tried to evade any income tax. Here is a copy of my IT return filings, I have mentioned about the 100 crores that was put into my account."
Suhasini had come prepared,
"Hmm...even then a question still remains. You were defending a terrorist like Allan Broad who was a witness in the Jilani's case where you were the public prosecutor. This is a case of conflict of interest. You should have informed the court about it but you did not"
"I know, this was a mistake on my part. I got carried away by grief and made a hasty decision. I am ready to take the moral responsibility for it"
Suhasini said apologetically
"This is just an act. I doubt you have any repentance. You defended Broad to satisfy your greed."
Justice Mehta was riled up. Once again Suhasini Sinha had managed to gain the upper hand.
"I have said what I had to say. It is upto you to make your inferences"
Suhasini said firmly
"Fine then, you may leave. We will submit our findings. Hopefully the verdict will be announced in a week"
Justice Sengupta said.
After Suhasini left, Justice Mehta gritted his teeth and said angrily
"Can't you she that she had managed to make a fool of us"
To this Justice sengupta smiled and said,
"Yes, we can, but there is nothing we can do about it."
P.S. - Been a bit busy of late so could not reply to your comments. This was the penultimate chapter. Next one will be the last. Thanks everyone for reading and commenting.
