by Vish Dhamija
Taking DSP Mehta around the unsuspecting bend of modest questions, Jay Singh came to the point he had prepared for.
‘DSP Mehta, I respect your testimony and your passion towards duty. Full marks on that. However, in the current case of State versus my client Vinay Kumar, do you have any other suspects?
‘No.’
‘Why not?’
‘The motive for Mr Vinay Kumar was so obvious—’
‘Unless I’m wrong DSP Mehta, whether the motive is real enough or a mere suspicion is something that the court decides based on the evidence provided. It isn’t something that the police should use to take their enquiry on a single track. Shouldn’t you have carried on with the investigation in other directions?’
‘Then there was circumstantial evidence in this case that Mr Kumar — ‘
‘That Mr Kumar was present in Miss Pinto’s apartment? Yes.’ Stemming a witness mid-sentence was something advocates always relish. If nothing else, it destroys the witness’ confidence. ‘Yes, my client was there and he accepts that but that was for the purpose of love, not murder. It is documented on the file I’ve submitted to the court already. So, let me ask you one again, why didn’t you look beyond Mr Kumar?’
‘We didn’t think it was necessary.’
‘Forgive me for being dumb because I do not understand this. “Because you didn’t think it was necessary” to look in other directions, you focused solely on my client Mr Kumar and ignored all other lines of inquiry?’
‘Yes.’
‘Objection, Janaab.’
‘What now, Mr Talwar? Please state your objection.’
‘The defence is pointlessly hammering the witness.’
‘Overruled. I don’t think so. Please sit down, Mr Talwar.’ Talwar was doing the same to Jay: simply attempting to break the presentation; there was no cause to object so far. None at all.
‘Let me repeat, DSP Mehta, did you not forsake all lines of enquiry to focus on my client?’
‘Yes.’
‘Isn’t that tunnel vision, DSP Mehta?’
‘Maybe.’
‘Maybe? DSP Mehta, you of all people should know what the answer in a courtroom should be — a yes or a no. Simply answer the question I ask. Please don’t wander off into the maybe territory. The court has no time or interest in your irrelevant musings and contemplations, please.’
‘Yes.’ The DSP looked crestfallen.
‘And should we attribute this tunnel vision to an oversight or plain incompetence?’
‘Objection Janaab.’ Talwar got up again.
‘State your objection, Mr Talwar.’ Nair looked seriously annoyed.
‘The defence is ridiculing a police officer in your court and not coming to the point.’
‘Mr Singh, where is this headed?’ Nair asked but Jay could feel Nair had frivolously asked the question only to humour Talwar.
‘Your Honour, all I want to state is that the police found it convenient to focus on my client only and ignored the rest. It was a faulty investigation from the beginning and, now, given the delay it has caused, it has given ample time for the real killer to get comfortably away. For all we know, he’s sitting in the audience enjoying this trial.’ Jay rolled his eyes across the court to labour his point.
A low laughter passed in a wave.
‘Order.’
‘Your Honour, it was tunnel vision on the part of the investigating team. They were so short-sighted that they did not look beyond the obvious motive; they saw Vinay Kumar as a paramour, a benefactor. They found Gina pregnant and they used some algorithm to come to a rushed conclusion that my client was the guilty party. They did not even bother to look further. In truth, they did not look for the murderer. They looked at my client and made it their agenda to make him the fall guy.’
Nair looked at Talwar who looked miserable.
Jay realised his initial assessment was correct: the imprudent, smart-arse DSP hadn’t been coached by Talwar to counter Jay. Too late now.
‘Your Honour, the lack of any other suspect does not in any manner prove that my client is guilty. That is prejudicial and the prosecuting advocate should know that. I have no more questions for this witness, Your Honour.’
‘Mr Talwar…?’
‘Janaab, all that Mr Jay Singh has tried to accomplish here is finding faults in the police procedure, which is not true. The police did not have any agenda; they don’t have old scores to settle with Mr Kumar from some previous life. Why would they even want to railroad him? The defence’s arguments are absolutely ridiculous and merit no serious consideration. I hope the evidence provided by all my witnesses and especially DSP Mehta is rock-solid and enough for the court to establish that Mr Vinay Kumar cold-bloodedly shot Miss Gina Pinto. I urge the court to award the accused the toughest punishment this court can afford. I have no more witnesses, Janaab. The State rests.’
‘Well then, we can all go home early today. I am busy elsewhere tomorrow. See you in court on Monday at 11am sharp. Do any of you have any other court proceedings at that time?’
‘No, Janaab.’
‘None, Your Honour.’
‘Good, because I would have asked you to cancel them anyway; the court is recessed.’ Nair gave a cunning smile and banged down the gavel.
Jay pulled out his iPhone the minute Nair left the court. His privacy settings meant all he could see on the screen was that there was a message from Bhīma. Bhīma sending a text when he knew Jay was arguing a case in court meant it was important. He quickly typed in his passcode and read the message: “Urgent: I am outside the court.”
The only urgent information Jay Singh was in search of at this moment was the Glock. He rushed out.
Bhīma was waiting. When Jay and Julie got into the car they noticed that the driver had been discharged of his duty and Bhīma was at the wheel. After all, there was only so much one could trust a temporary driver.
‘What is it, Bhīma?’
‘The Kumars had a rather ugly row over Gina last night. I couldn’t catch the entire thing, as it must have started in some other room that isn’t bugged, but there was mention of Glock a few times during the whole incident. An ambulance was called in just before midnight and Rita was taken to A&E at Max Hospital. She’s obviously not admitted the truth, the authorities were told that she fell down the stairs.’
‘That bastard looked cool in the court. Not a hint of any of this mess,’ Jay cursed.
‘I should have caught it last night, but we left the office and hence I picked it up only this morning.’
‘There’s absolutely no reason to blame yourself for it, Bhīma. Except for the fact that Gina and Glock were mentioned in the same argument, it’s domestic violence and it’s nothing to do with us. However, I need to see Rita when she’s alone. Track Vinay Kumar and let me know where he goes from the court. If he isn’t going to the hospital, let’s drop Julie and take me there.’
‘You can drop me here, I’ll take a cab,’ Julie said forthwith.
‘Are you sure?’
‘How long have you known me, Jay? I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t mean it. It’s more important to see Rita than to chauffeur me around. In any case, I’ll bill this to that son-of-a-bitch Kumar, so why bother?’
‘Thanks Julie. Bhīma, please stop at the next taxi stand.’
They dropped Julie. Bhīma left the car parked at the taxi rank and took out his master control computer from the boot and got it online using a 3G dongle. Jay needed a drink but controlled himself. If he were to rush to MAX to see Rita he didn’t want to smell of alcohol. If there was one thing he couldn’t tolerate it was wife beating. He had seen it all too closely in his own dysfunctional home, and what it had led to. It was still an open wound that wouldn’t heal. It was déjà vu. Almost instinctively, his hand went for the bottle of vodka in the pocket of the front seat as if it was some panacea that would sort all this problems. He took a swig. Then another.
‘Kumar’s gone straight to his office, hukum.’
The instructions were clear: Bhīma would stay in the lobby area, sitting in the little Café Coffee Day opposite the reception, apparently reading a book but his eyes canvassing in case Kumar bothered to turn up. Jay took the elevator to the floor Rita’s private room was, one phone switched on for Bhīma to monitor for any trouble upstairs, the iPhone in his pocket in case Bhīma had to reach him.
Intubated, right eye blue-black, stitches on her upper lip, Rita lay comatose. Jay remembered her as the inebriated, yet beautiful, woman he had met when he gone to see her at their residence. Her large almond-shaped eyes were sad even back then and made Jay wonder why she stuck around with the bastardly husband who was clearly a miscegenation of human and a fucking swine. Rage built up inside him as he saw her through the little glass window in the door. He couldn’t decide if he should knock and wake her up or return later, but the nurse came by.
‘Looking for someone?’
‘Yes. Rita Kumar.’
‘And you are...?’
‘An old friend.’
Was he? Was he why he was here?
‘Let me see if she’s awake. Who do I say is here to see her?’
‘Jay Singh.’
‘Wait a minute.’ The nurse softly opened the door and tiptoed in. She was back in less than two minutes. ‘You can go in now, Mr Singh.’
‘Thanks.’ He waited for the nurse to exit before he went into the room. Should he have at least brought her some fresh flowers, was his first thought.
‘Hi.’ Rita forced a smile.
‘Hi, how are you?’
‘Fuckin’tastic, as you can see. What brings you here, Mr Advocate Jay?’
‘I wanted to see you, to talk to you.’
‘Oh, I thought you were taking me up on the offer I made you last time —’
‘Shhh!’ Jay put his finger on his lips. ‘I know you weren’t in your senses when we met last time, Rita. And you shouldn’t feel embarrassed by anything you said when we met last. I am a heavy drinker myself and I know that sometimes, in that state, we inadvertently end up saying what we don’t mean. Sometimes it is a mere slip of the tongue and sometimes it is out of sheer spite. I know it all…’ He again raised his finger to his lips as he saw her lips quiver. ‘I know you’re hurting so let me speak, please. As I was saying, I know your entire demeanour was derived from the humiliation you’ve been through at the hands of your philandering husband…’
Tears started rolling out of her eyes. She still did not close her eyes or look away. She, of all people, knew the truth. Perhaps she figured there wasn’t any point in pretending that he wasn’t stating the fact. Perhaps it was regret for how she had behaved with him last time around.
‘Sorry to be blunt Rita, and do tell me to shut up or ask me to leave as I have no right or reason to interfere in your married life.’
‘Who told you I was here?’
‘I’ve got sources. I don’t take up a client without knowing all about the client or his idiosyncrasies.’
‘So you won’t tell who told you?’
‘I never rat out a rat. It can be fatal for my business. And me.’
‘So you’re here for what exactly, Jay? You don’t expect me to believe you’re here to console me for what happened last night, do you?’
‘I can’t even for a minute think you’re dumb enough to believe me if I said I came here to console you. No. And though it’s none of my business I wonder why you go through this shit?’
‘Could you raise my bed a bit please? It’s a bit inconvenient to lie straight and concentrate…’
Jay bent down to press the lever that elevated the head of the cot. It was then he saw her closely and realised she had taken a much more brutal walloping than what he had initially seen through the glass pane of the door. There was also a little blood clot on the white of the right eye that was blackened all around. Images of his own mother flashed before him. He could have killed his own father for that; he could kill Vinay Kumar for this, he knew. But he did not let his mien reflect any of that.
‘Is that okay for you?’
‘Yeah, thanks. Would you like some tea or coffee?’
He shook his head.
‘It’s not a bother at all. I don’t have to make it. I just need to press the buzzer. I was extremely unpleasant to you last time so let me make it up to you at my loving husband’s cost.’ She attempted to smile but it was quite obvious she was in pain.
‘I don’t need anything, but if you want some, please feel free.’
‘Gin and tonic?’
‘I’ve got some vodka in my car,’ he jabbed.
‘Should I come down or would you bring it up here for me?’
He let the joke dangle there. It was good the lady had a sense of humour despite evidently being in physical agony, and the discomfort of knowing that this wasn’t the first or the last time her husband had awarded her some serious abuse. But, he wanted to come to the point before Vinay Kumar or any of his cronies made a surprise visit.
‘Could I ask you something?’
‘Here comes out the advocate from behind the man,’ she chuckled. ‘Go on then, ask.’
‘You admit you were nasty to me last time, right?’
Nod.
‘I know you were drunk, but still, may I ask why you were so foul? Why with me?’
‘Because you are his friend.’
‘For record, I am not his friend. I am his advocate.’
‘Same thing isn’t it. Friends save your ass when you are in trouble; you’re his saviour too.’
‘And you don’t want me to save your husband?’
She looked away and didn’t answer for a couple of minutes. The silence screamed in the room. From the window towards which she turned her face Jay could see the sun getting ready to withdraw for the day. It would still be a couple of hours though before it totally abandoned this part of the world and slipped into absolute shade. A foursome of pigeons had descended on to the window ledge to provide company to Rita for the night. Thankfully, the car horns blaring at ground level were only a faint noise on this higher floor; they lacked the harshness to disturb sleep.
‘Save my husband for whom? He doesn’t care if I live or die. Why should I care?’
‘Why don’t you just leave him then?’ Jay was uncomfortable discussing her marriage, but he reckoned he needed to swim the tide to get to the other side for the truth that he came to see her for.
‘They are a very influential family.’
‘I know that.’
‘What do you know about Vinay?’
‘You tell me.’
‘You know he’s done this before?’
‘What… put you in A&E?’
‘No. That he’s been accused of killing another one of his mistresses before Gina?’
Jay knew the bastard had snookered him. The entire search Bhīma had done had been true. Kumar had escaped the last time. And with Jay’s defence he would be acquitted yet again. That hit him. That hit him bad.
‘Does Vinay know you’re here?’ She had a worried expression on her scarred face. ‘Please be honest.’
‘No. I came here of my own volition. And you’re free to shoo me away and not talk to me. Anything you say is off the record.’
‘I’ll tell you everything if you promise to stay with me for dinner. We can chomp on the sad hospital sandwiches.’
‘Okay.’ Jay was aware Bhīma would have heard the conversation and hence calculated that Jay would take longer than initially assumed.
***
Jay left Rita’s room after nine. She told me him more than he had come looking for. The truth had killed his appetite and the sad sandwiches had hardly bothered him. The only thing he didn’t know after what she had told him is how could he walk away fro
m his client? This wasn’t the first defence case where he knew his client was guilty. If truth be told, they all fucking were. It was not a de-fence advocate’s business to side with the truth. But deserting Vinay Kumar now would mean he could kiss his legal practice goodbye. All that he had worked for would be gone. Why should he give it up for Rita, whom he had met barely twice in life? For someone who did not want to stand up for herself? He could sense his blood flow a bit faster than usual: the adrenaline was picking up pace. A loose end had tied itself up. He sneered as the elevator carted him to the ground floor, partly for even letting such a silly and scrupulous thought stray into his mind, but predominantly because he knew he would walk all over Talwar on Monday. This case was over.
‘Bhīma, did you hear that?’
‘Rita owns the Glock.’
Talwar had left a big void in his search — the gun — and Jay would jump into that void and tear the State’s case.
‘Yes. The locker, as she mentioned, is under the bathtub in the main bathroom; one of the tiles underneath moves. The code is 9-5-1-0. The house is locked and the kids are with their grandfather. Check when Kumar is away, retrieve the Glock, and change the security code on the locker so Kumar cannot open it if he tries. I don’t want him to do anything stupid should he open the locker and find it missing. I’ll speak to him later. Please also ensure that none of the locks are compromised. Kumar should not be able to figure out that there’s been an intruder in his house. Then, I want a ballistic expert to run a test to confirm it is the same Glock that was used to shoot Gina.’
‘Jee, hukum.’
‘Finally, I need someone who should be ready to testify in court that he supplied the Glock to Miss Gina Pinto. We’ll pay more than his five years’ earnings in one go and I’ll defend him pro bono — he’s looking at no more than three to six months, I promise.’
‘Roger that, hukum.’