Chapter 33: Part 3
"Is there anything I can do in parallel? I think I can manage more than analyzing phone records." Malvika asked crouching down and looking around the papers spread around her. Arnav looked up from the stack of papers on his lap and smirked.
"That's awesome Malvika, why don't you start working on our judiciary too." He was starting to act like six year old in a candy shop. "Everyone has started to think that Supreme Court is a government controlled body which isn't true actually." There was blinding emotion in his voice. Before Malvika could dissect it, he added lightly "Let's show our public who is the real daddy here." He winked audaciously at her. Malvika looked at him blankly for a moment and turned to look and Khushi hoping she would provide her with more details.
"One of the primary complaints in this country is the delay in legal proceedings. There are cases where in due to pressure from government, courts have worked in record speed and ruled a judgment while there are cases - let me give you an example. A woman was in jail for 19 years because she couldn't raise a bail for a small sum of ten thousand rupees. She got lost in the system over the years and it simply continued. From humanitarian perspective, it is barbaric. If I shed my humanity for a moment and talk in terms of numbers: it would have been probably cheaper to let her go than incarcerate her for two decades." Khushi stopped for a moment to clear her throat. Being a lawyer, she say many cases which had all possibility of ending in a settlement but for the pencil pushing attitude of the administrators which prolonged process more than necessary.
"Get it done Malvika. I don't care how you get the nine people I want reinstated but it has to happen in three weeks. Use whatever mode necessary to attain your goal." There was no emotion in Arnav's voice.
"Can I kill someone in the process of attaining my goal?" Malvika asked snidely pocketing a sheet of paper with names written on it.
Arnav's voice was flippant. "Don't be silly Malvika. It should never come to homicide. However if it is inevitable, let me know. I know people who will do that job for you."
Malvika hadn't remotely anticipated this reply from Arnav. She had signed up for bringing about change in the country. She wasn't nave to believe that there wasn't going to be any collateral damage. But the sheer detachment with which Arnav spoke about it sent chills in her spine.
Shukla stood up suddenly, papers on his lap fluttering around him. Arnav, Khushi and Malvika looked at him and saw him rush towards television.
"I just came to know." He said and increased the volume.
Prasenjit Sarkar, Krishna Kumar and Bhanu Pratap were standing on a podium and a massive garland ran across their neck collectively.
Arnav and Khushi looked at each other. The practiced calmness held them together while Shukla and Malvika merely looked on with interest.
The games had begun. The three had beaten Arnav and Khushi to it.
"Shukla, find out if Bhanu Pratap is on this alone or is the party with him. And I want to know why I didn't hear whispers about this publicized coalition. Malvika, you and Payal need to find something for us to hold the fort against the second wave." Arnav rattled.
"What is the second wave?" Malvika asked, standing up.
"It's unfortunate that we aren't even considered as players in this game Malvika," Arnav said chuckling mirthlessly. "It will be these three against Akash while the rest of the country is going to be bystanders, including us."
"What's Rathore's involvement in this?" Malvika asked the question that's been running in his mind the moment he started suspecting Bhanu Pratap.
"If there wasn't any till now, there will be going forward. It's a given that the current coalition will break up into a million pieces and the major party will have difficulty in forming new government. Only they can tip the balance but for that they will have to win a lot of seats." Arnav said calculating the number of seats and performing a quick exit poll in his mind.
Shukla and Malvika left the apartment to work on their respective jobs.
Once they were gone, Arnav let out a loud growl and threw the phone in his hand to the nearest wall. His composure was failing and anger was taking over. Khushi knew that she had to be the person now to ground him.
"We saw this coming Arnav," Khushi said. "This was expected but it happened earlier than we anticipated, that's all. We will have to move forward quickly and..."
"It's not going to be easy Khushi. Let's face it: they upped one on us. They have already announced their intentions and the possible coalition while we are trying to fix the problem holistically with the assumption that the coalition will come after the elections. This changes the game completely!" Arnav yelled the last part.
Khushi agreed he had a good point. This was unanticipated and a major setback from them.
"Give the orders. Let the scandals begin." Khushi shrugged. Arnav gaped at her.
"It's not going to help anymore Khushi." Arnav sounded tired.
"Arnav, that has always been a possibility. What we are orchestrating here is like rigging a board election in a big organization. We are trying to fight corruption by corrupting the concept of democracy and hoping that the end product has a better moral standard than the current one." Khushi placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it hard. "We are already in it knee deep. Let's drown in this mess." She said lightly.
Arnav smiled sincerely at her.
"What do you want to do now?" Khushi asked seeing Arnav pace.
"I first want Bhanu Pratap to lose control and break that trio. I cannot have Rathore supporting the two. Second, I want Supreme Court to give ruling on the pending scandals. I don't want the current government to even think of being elected next time. And let's have some good old fashioned IT raids." Arnav counted in his fingers.
"IT raids? Why?" Khushi looked surprised.
"Honestly? I just want to see those people shaking." Arnav said callously. "What do you want?" Arnav asked Khushi.
Khushi looked at him for one full moment and smiled. "A civil war."
Arnav's eyes widened at her declaration.
"That will be the death of democracy." A voice spoke from the door.
Arnav and Khushi whirled around to see the person who had spoken - the person whose voice they could recognize anywhere, especially after spending months with him in isolation.
Akash was leaning on the doorjamb dressed in jeans and kurta just like Arnav was and smiling at the two.
To be continued.
Note:
The case Khushi talks about in the beginning of this chapter is a real one and was reported last week.
Here is the link: Indian Woman jailed for 19 years
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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