||Junooniyat hai yehi ||MehRya FF Final Chapter Pg 109 06/May/19 - Page 32

Chapter 6

Court started its procedure once the Judge was seated. Mehek sat behind Mohan while Shaurya watched her from his side. She didn't dare to look at him and kept her eyes to ground. Mohana started her side of case. She explained that it was premeditated crime and executed cleverly to take advantage of a poor girl who was tormented from first day of college. She plead maximum punishment for Shaurya to set an example so that such heinous crimes shall me prevented in society. She was given permission to question Shaurya. "Mr. Shaurya Khanna, could you explain events of that night to the court?", she asked. In few words, he told that he took drunken Mehek to his room and they got intimate. Mehek and Mohana were a bit surprised by his honest acceptance. Mohana smirked victoriously at Harshvardhan and rested her case. Harshvardhan walked calmly towards Shaurya and asked him, "Mr. Shaurya Khanna, you never used to attend any petty college parties . So could you explain why you abruptly decided to attend this particular event?". "I never intend to go there. But from my friends I got to know that few of Mehek's batchmates were planning to embarrass her at the party. So I decided to go. But by the time I reached and spotted Mehek , she was absolutely wrecked", Sharuya answered. "You Honour, it proves that there was no pre-planning done by client", Harsh pointed to court. "I object", Mohana jumped, "Defendant had accepted that he got physical with my client when she was under influence of alcohol". "Absolutely, my friend. My client had agreed. But you haven't proved him guilty yet, have you?", Harsh countered. "What do you mean?", Mohana snapped at him. "Your Honour, I seek permission to question, Ms Mehek Sharma", he appealed.

Mehek stood before Harsh timidly. She recalled Mohana's words and tried to be brave. She expected vile & vulgar interrogations from Harvardhan's side. But to her surprise Harahvardhan patted her hand affectionately, "Don't be afraid my child. Just think carefully and answer". Mehek was bewildered and threw a questioning glace at Mohana. She looked intently at Harvardhan and then nodded to Mehek. "Mehek, do you know ragging is a punishable criminal offense?", he asked and she nodded. "Then why didn't you report about Shaurya ?", he asked earnestly. Mehek gulped as she wasn't prepared for such question. She had practiced with Mohana to confront his questions about the incident but never expected a probe about her past days in college. Mehek decided to deal the unexpected with honesty, "I was afraid. He was rich and popular in college". "Rich??? Popular?? Quiet flattering adverbs to describe your culprit", he smirked adding to her chagrin. He continued , "I believe you have the same reason to run away from college after you and Shaurya...ahem...spent night together". "Yes", she answered blinking back her tears. "Mehek, I feel so bad for you. A hard working, bright student like you had to leave a good future. All becoz of a popular and rich senior student. Still I am lost to understand why you never confided in your friends or teachers from college about your plight". "I couldn't face anyone at college. I just wanted to escape", Mehek blurted out. Mohana grimaced at Mehek's folly but Harshvardhan was quick to pounce on it. "Please note the point, My Lord. Mehek Sharma was ashamed to confront her friends or faculty. She felt to have dishonored her morals coz she had consensual s*x with her senior". "No", Mehek yelled, "I would never", she fought not to weep. "Raising your voice will not help to hide the truth, Ms Mehek", Harshvarshan bullied her "I object. Defense lawyer is trying to harass my client", Mohana sternly raised her concern. Harvardhan quickly apologized, " I am sorry Mehek. Let me ask you something else. How long were you engaged to Mr. Shaurya Khanna? Almost 4 weeks, am I right?", he asked and Mehek agreed. "And these 4 weeks, you chose to blissfully enjoy the courtship?". Mehek fumbled at his query. "I will put it in another way. You attended parties with him, accepted his costly gifts and even had a short getaway in Goa, at his exquisite resort. Didn't you? I wonder why you never found it difficult to be with a man who had violated you", he was firm. She answered timidly,"He molested me once in a party. So I was too scared to provoke him further". "Provoke? Ms Mehek, provoke is the wrong word. I would use 'TEMPT' here", he went to his desk and took out a photograph. "Do you recognize this photograph, Ms Mehek?", he showed it to her after giving a copy to judge & Mohana. Mehek gasped in shock. "This was taken when you were with Shaurya in Goa. Here I failed to see a woman who got abused by Shaurya", he asked her. Tears welled in her eyes and her vision blurred. Still she could make out image portrayed. The photograph showed her sleeping peacefully on Shaurya's naked chest. "Ms Mehek, enlighten me here. Bcoz all I could see is a women, peacefully sleeping in arms of her lover, probably after a tiring yet pleasurable night", Harshvardhan cornered her. She looked at Shaurya with teary eyes. For the first time in court, she faced him and accused him with her painful eyes. A moment which he had captured without her knowledge, is being used to frame her. Shaurya felt a pang of guilt when she burst to tears before all. Her tears burned him. He felt an intense urge to comfort her. Unknowingly he gave a stern glare to his lawyer as if warning him to stay in his limits. Harshvardhan quickly varied his modus operandi. "I am sorry if I hurt you. Ms Mehek, please compose yourself", Adv Hooda handed over a glass of water to her. But she refused and cried out, "I was forced. I was too scared of him". "C'mon Mehek. Your reasons are hollow and baseless", Harsh declared while Mohana sat helplessly. "Your Honour, let me explain the whole scenario here. Mehek Sharma and Shaurya Khanna had consensual s*x. Mehek quit college feeling guilty but Shaurya took responsibility and proposed marriage. Ms Mehek and her family were delighted with her marriage with Shaurya Khanna. Until one day they realised that they cannot exploit Khannas as they had wished. Few weeks back, Sharmas approached Mr Harish Khanna for a huge loan. When he refused, they decided to cook up a fake case to milk money from Khanna family", he explained. "Absurd", Mohana shouted. "I can prove it", he challenged her. Mansi Chachi was summoned and she nervously walked towards witness box. She accepted that she and Ravi had gone to Harish Khanna for a loan to start their own business. Their request was refused and later it caused a huge chaos in Sharma family. Mehek covered her mouth with her palm in shock. She was unable to come in terms with betrayal of her own family members. The Judge announce nonchalantly, "Court will resume after lunch break".

@ Mohana's chamber.

"Is it true?", Mohana asked Kanta. Shamefully, Kanta accepted it and Mehek was shattered. "But it was just Mansi & Ravi and their plan. None of us were involved in it", Kanta explained to them. Karuna who stood behind Mehek like a pillar of support, felt betrayed. Her trust on Mehek and her family wavered. "We still have 50% chance to win the case. Adv.Hooda tried to divert court attention to recent events but it is still clear that Shaurya took advantage of Mehek. I will bring back court's attention to it", Mohan was hopeful. "Don't bet on it, Adv Trivedi", Arjun's voice beamed from behind. "What do you want Jr Hooda?", Mohana asked. "Few minutes alone with Mehek", he answered. But they all refused. He turned to Mehek, "Mehek, please it is very important. I need to talk to you in private". But Mehek remained adamant, "No, I can't. You can share it before them. I have no secrets from them". "Fine. But don't forget that I tried to warn you", he pulled out his phone and played a video. They understood that it was shot on the night of the party. It showed Mehek dancing amidst the crowd like a mad seductress with a glass of drink. Her friends stood around laughing at her and enjoying her show. Soon Shaurya came in and tried to save her from embarrassment. But she refused and continued her folly. She even made him gulp her drink and forced him to dance. Eventually he rebuked her strongly and dragged her out of the scene. Kanta and Karuna looked at Mehek with disgust and left the chamber. Mohana sat down defeated and cursed herself for taking up Mehek's case. "Mehek, my father wanted to present it before court but Shaurya forbid him. But if situation spirals, he will definitely use it to save Shaurya. Then it will be really difficult to prove that it wasn't consensual", Arjun explained. "He is right. We lost. It is better to withdraw your case rather than wasting time of court", Mohana advised and left her alone with Arjun. Mehek felt numb, unable to comprehend how her life got reduced to be a hopeless mess. "Mehek", Arjun's voice woke her, "I accept Shaurya is wrong. But he really cares for you. He may not admit but he definitely has feelings for you. Your pain and sorrow affect him a lot. Can you try to forgive him?". Mehek shook her head and said vehemently, "Never".

Court proceeding ended soon. Mehek's case was withdrawn and charges against Shaurya were dismissed. It started to rain when Shaurya and his people were ushered to their vehicles. As he sat in his expensive vehicle, he noticed a visibly shaken and lost Mehek walking in rain like a lost pup. Rain drops masked her tears from others but it didn't miss his attention. Her sadness was agonizing for him. Guilt slowly started to nag him. He felt responsible for her misery. At that moment all he wanted to pacify her but he couldn't . Her pride and obstinacy caused her downfall. Her predicament in court had shaken him. He had send Arjun to convey his proposition. Yet despite Arjun's mediation, she refused to come back to him. Once again her refusal made him mad with rage. His ego was bruised but it was his heart that pained more. He balled his fists and asked driver to drive away quickly.

'Don't bother to come back to Sharma Nivas. You have dishonoured my upbringing. You are dead to us', Kanta's voice echoed in her mind. She felt broken. As she climbed the stairs of Karuna Vihar, she recalled harsh words from Karuna, 'I wish I could be as cruel as Kanta but I can't. I am giving you couple of days time to leave my home'. Few days time were given to her but Mehek chose to leave immediately. She didn't want to impose herself on Karuna's charity. She gathered her simple possessions and left. As she wandered through the deserted footpath during wee hours of the nights, lecherous eyes stung her and soon she became prey of her own fear. In desperation, she dialed only person whom knew may come for her rescue. It was Noor.

Harish was pouring another drink for his son. He knew Shaurya needed it. Before gulping the bitter content Shaurya's phone rang showing Arjun's name and he attended it. "what?... Mehek called Noor for help? ...Where is she?...How did she end up there?..I am starting from here now", he frantically searched for his car keys. "Are you going to Mehek? Why is she still bothering you?", Harish was angry. "Dad, please we will talk later as I don't have time to waste. Mehek is in trouble and sought Noor's help. But unluckily neither Noor nor Arjun may reach there immediately. I need to go", he try to walk away but his father held him. "WHY? I want to know the reason, Son?", Harish raised his voice. "Becoz I love her", Shaurya told vehemently and ran to the door.

Mehek shivered under the heavy downpour. She clutched to her bag and looked around petrified. She was too scared to move by an inch. "Mehek", Shaurya's voice startled her. He ran to her and held her closely. She was shivering vigorously. He took out his jacket and covered her fragile body into it. "Are.. you.. here for... me?", she told him between her sobs. "Ofcourse, Mehek. You are my need. I have no life without you" , he told affectionately but realised that Mehek had gone numb in his arms.