Chapter 13
"Do you want to know what is happening around the country?" Akash asked the two of them who were playing chess against each other. The hands stilled and the two of them looked at Akash, mouth hung open.
"You know what the best form of torture is?" Akash asked booting the laptop. Arnav and Khushi looked at each other and looked back at Akash again. "It's not hurting the person but hurting the ones the person loves the most or what they love the most; in your case – your careers, I think." Akash said and turned the laptop towards them.
"Enjoy the news for next one hour," he said and leaned back on the sofa. Arnav and Khushi sprung forwards and looked at the monitor.
*****
"I must admit, I am a bit surprised." Akash said looking at Arnav and Khushi who were playing chess after watching news. He had expected an outburst, which had come from Arnav but Khushi was strangely silent throughout Arnav's rant. "Aren't you unhappy that Dhananjay is locked up?"
"Why should I be? He raped those women and he is in jail for that. Isn't that good justice?" Khushi replied, not looking at Akash. Akash fell silent momentarily figuring out a different perspective for attack.
"What is important Khushi – justice or a lawyer's win?"
"Winning is most important Akash especially given how sensitive the issue we deal with generally are and…its repercussions," she added.
"What about justice?" Akash asked his voice strained.
"What about it?" Akash didn't know if the nonchalance in her voice was practiced apathy or one of the byproducts of a moral hazard.
"Isn't justice as important, if not more, than saving your client's ass?" Akash didn't know why this particular day his patience was running extremely thin. Was it because of Arnav's indifference towards the turmoil that was now brewing in heart of the country? Or was it because Arnav smiled inwardly when he saw how daily life went unaffected for most people in country as they were cheering Indian victory in a cricket tournament and gushing about a 100 crore returns of a super hit Bollywood movie with the country's popular stars.
"Akash, ask the women who claim that they were raped by Dhananjay what is the apt punishment for him. Do you know what they will answer?" Khushi asked, still not looking up from the chess board.
"I saw an interview where one woman said that he should be suitably punished while the other girl wanted him to suffer the same pain and humiliation as she did. The third girl wanted him out of the society and called him a societal menace," Akash said in a monotone.
"So, no one really answered the question." Khushi observed. Arnav looked up from board and saw her and then he looked at Akash. Akash was matching his stupefied expression.
"Khushi, the answers were pretty straightforward. Everyone basically called Dhananjay a criminal and should be prosecuted by law." Arnav said. Khushi finally looked up and saw the two men staring at her.
"What these women wanted was something painful happen to him but not justice for themselves. They are victims and they should get suitable justice for the act done upon them. Blinded by rage and driven by anger, justice takes a backseat and implementation of personal vendetta comes to picture. They aren't asking for justice for them but they are giving out verdict on Dhananjay. I am not saying they are wrong am saying that's how people are. So people like me, defend accusations like this and take advantage of people. And this is also one of the reasons why sometimes it becomes excruciatingly difficult to prosecute a case against a famous name – the resources people like Rathore can procure and the minds they can hire, people they can influence, can really contribute to the case," Khushi shrugged. "I am surprised that the victims weren't already bought out." She added.
"That's low," Arnav reacted first. Akash wasn't surprised but Khushi was.
"You are the one to talk," Khushi sneered. "Dhananjay could have offered public apology, compensation and cut a decent deal with the woman."
"If everything was solved by cutting a deal, then the world would long ago fallen into anarchy. Maybe the women didn't want a deal; they wanted justice served to the man." Arnav reasoned.
"One of the smartest political consultant of the country comes up with a superiorly lame argument; never thought I would see this day," Khushi chuckled mirthlessly. Arnav and Akash exchanged looks.
"It didn't occur to you why they went to different area police station? Isn't it questionable?"
"Maybe they knew already that they wouldn't be taken seriously given how Rathore's influence is." Arnav replied.
"Maybe," Khushi hummed. "Or maybe this is all a well elaborated plan being executed."
"What, you don't trust those women?" Akash asked, strained.
"It doesn't matter anymore. The case is closed for now." Khushi said making her move on the board. The glass in Akash's hands crushed on the floor. His anger was evident but neither Khushi nor Arnav could comprehend why. "Akash, someone else was pushing for this and it wasn't those women seeking justice. It was someone working against Rathore." She said. Akash openly glared at her.
"Come to think of it, it could easily would have been you. You have smartness to plan something like that, resources to execute and a vendetta which you aren't sharing with us." She said smoothly.
"It wasn't me," Akash said flatly. "I don't believe in methods like these. My methods generally have permanent impact," he said smirking, recovering from the earlier blow.
"That's probably true because you ordered a hit on Arnav and me and here we are," Khushi said in pure nonchalance.
Akash stilled.
"I never ordered a hit on you two." He said knitting his brows. "The kidnapping and being out of picture is essential for my plan to be executed without a hitch but I didn't order a hit on you. I generally get it done by someone I know and I don't like to our source that," he said as if he was discussing a business deal. His indifference towards their lives wasn't surprising anymore but it didn't stop from pricking them.
Arnav walked to the table and pulled the laptop. Akash didn't stop him and watched him bring up a webpage. "This one," Arnav said and turned the screen towards Akash.
"Do you know who it might be?" Arnav asked Akash.
"There are at least a five million people who are pissed at you Arnav. It's little hard to narrow it down." Akash said.
"When law fails to protect the land, justice is served by the people." Akash said standing up and taking laptop from table. "Sort of an unwanted side effect of your precious democracy," he added and walked out of the room leaving Arnav and Khushi alone.
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