"Yes?" "Who?" "The newspaper tycoon." "Preeti Saxena of Indian Times." "Stop" "Damn her" "These rich brats won't let you take a night's sleep or a morning walk" "Chaos begins!" "Ministers, newspapers, television, cacophony, et aI" "Sit" "Where?" " Up there" "Upstairs." "Come with me, sir" "The maidservant." "He didn't spare her" "The glass on the rear door is broken." "He could've come in that way" "Shekhar Saxena says that when he was coming in... someone hit him on the head from behind." "He fainted" "Any clues on the murderer?" " Do you suspect anyone?" "will you be able to get him?" "One thing is decided." "This is no rape" "The head-wound and parts bearing other wounds indicates insanity" "He enjoys doing this" "One more thing" "The murder was committed using a sharp six-inch weapon" "A knife, or something." "But it's blade is serrated" "The problem is, a six-inch knife and six feet of rope can be bought easily" "The fingerprint report says that no fingerprints have been found... apart from Shekhar Saxena's, his wife's and the maid's" "So how do we trace the killer?" "What about the wound on the head?" " Not a deep wound" "Just a little bleeding." "Nothing dangerous" "Was the blow delivered so as not to make it dangerous?" "could be" "I've got a scoop!" "I found out all details from Shekhar Saxena's office" "After marrying Preeti, Shekhar became her husband" "But Preeti Saxena remained the owner of the newspaper" "legally, Shekhar can't get a cent out of Preeti's inheritance" "But according to Preeti's will, after her death..." "Shekhar Saxena stands to be the sole heir of her entire estate" "But that man looks too decent to kill his wife so horribly" "That's just why" "That's why he killed her so horribly." "So that fools like you might say..." ""How can a man kill his wife so horribly?"" "simple." "If I got fed up of slaving for the wife, if I wanted... to kill her, this is how I would've planned it." "In which hospital is he?" "Had I my way, I would've obliterated yesterday from the calendar" "Yesterday morning, when I Ieft home, I had everything." "When I returned..." "I still can't believe it's all true." " Where were you between 7 and 8 pm?" "At the press club, interviewing new journalists" "Afterwards?" "I dropped KuIkarni at the railway terminus." "Then I went to the office" "So late at night?" "Why did you go to the office?" "Mr Lokhande, I'm the editor." "Like every Saturday..." "I was supposed to write today's editorial too" "Reporting the growing crime rate in your city takes hard work" "So last Saturday's hard-hitting article about the police..." "I wrote it" "Every time, I am the one who writes about your misadventures" "And look at what you're doing today." "Asking me questions to fill pages" "You don't care even if the murderer gives you the slip in the meantime" "And why are you staring at me?" "Am I to remind you that you're my lawyer?" "Yes, I was about to object" "Yadav..." "let's go." "Let the sahib rest a while" "You're watching Preeti Saxena's funeral. 3 days ago... she was killed horribly in her apartment" "For two years she was saying, "I want to see my brother"" "You're here... now" "will you change that rote, or won't you?" "Every day for the Iast week you've been coming here and telling me..." "I Ioved my wife very much!" "We were very happy with each other" "And nothing happened between us to prompt me to kill her" "Ask me that once or a hundred times, my answer won't change" "Because that's the truth." " That isn't the truth" "The truth is, you didn't have a good relationship with your wife" "You were constantly quarreling with your wife." "I've even heard..." "What's going on?" "You're harassing my client for no reason" "Hey Pawar..." "You're talking to an important man." "Don't you know?" "50 men stand up to... greet him when he enters his office." "And you take him for a criminal?" "Whatever you have to ask him, ask properly" "Mr Shekhar, Iet me assure you that I don't consider you a criminal" "Now, may I ask you with all due respect, was there ever... between the two of you, any altercation or quarrel?" "When did I say that there was no altercation between us?" "We might even have screamed at each other." "But in answer... won't it be enough to say that we were married?" "Every couple... has misunderstandings." " I saw you on television" "On Rendezvous with Simi GarewaI." "Your wife didn't look too happy" "Mr Rustom Sohrab SodawaterwaIIah." "An attendant at national Gymkhana?" "You might say so." " What do you mean?" "nominally, I am the attendant." "But I'm really the whoIe-and-soIe" "Which girl goes out with which man, who's eying whose boss..." "I know all about the affairs." "Why only outsiders?" "Sharma, the junior manager..." " Just tell me... do you have the duplicate keys to the lockers allotted to members?" "Not with me." "The manager keeps it." "I take the keys only once a year" "On 31st December." "You know why?" "To clean everyone's lockers" "Last year, what did you notice when you were cleaning locker number 502?" "Number 502 is Shekhar Saxena's." "When I opened his locker..." "I saw something shining inside." "I took a close look." "It was a knife" "Dangerous!" "About 6 inches long." "Designed just like hills on a map" "Like this" "I told you." "She used to handle the financial matters" "I only did the creative work" "Do you fancy hunting?" "Have you ever been on a hunt?" "No" "Did you ever buy a hunting knife?" "No" "Think before you reply." "There's no hurry" "Have you ever bought one?" "Or did you ever borrow one from a friend?" "I told you!" "No!" " Don't shout" "I'm giving you one more chance." "tell me the truth" "talk properly." " To hell with propriety" "until now, I've been behaving myself." "I know how to reach... right into a man's throat to dig out the truth" "You think I killed my wife?" "In court, I will" "As of now, I have evidence enough to arrest you" "Hey Pawar, handcuff the sahib." "Give him her bracelets" "Are you prosecuting Shekhar Saxena?" " You think Saxena has killed?" "Are you remanding him to custody?" "If you care to take my word, you'II throw away this remand application" "What are you saying, Mehta?" "Without a drubbing, he won't say a word" "You take him for a small time crook who spills the beans after two slaps?" "Want to try third degree?" "You want to hang him upside down?" "Look, he has high connections" "Every day, he'II take medical examinations." "In court, he will... turn the tables on you." "He wrote castigating you." "The world knows" "What will everyone think?" "That you're taking..." "what's it called?" "Revenge." " You're taking revenge" "So what to do now?" " What to do?" "He doesn't have a criminal record." "The judge rejects our application" "He's granted bail, and from day one, we're censured." "Better... don't oppose the ball plea." " Mehta, he's going to vanish" "He's going nowhere." "He's a big man." "The bigger the man, the lesser... the places he can hide in." "Wherever he is, he'II remain in public eye" "Let him off." "For now." "We'II see later" "Mr Shekhar Saxena, you aren't alone!" " What did the police ask you?" "Are you being framed?" "You know very well." "My paper has been exposing his misdeeds" "And here I am." "As for the rest, you are intelligent enough" "Mr Saxena, I called delhi." "I'm thinking about... roping in Mr Arjun MaIkani" "No Mr Singh." "My case is already looking like a circus" "I don't want to fly in lawyers for grandstanding" "I have full faith in your firm." "I want you to represent me" "Mr Saxena, we're corporate lawyers." "We contest civil cases." "We never... contested a criminal case." " You haven't a single lawyer... who can contest a criminal case?" " Not that we haven't" "There is one." "able." "But not a single contested criminal case in 4 years" "If he's able, why has he not contested for 4 years?" "Strange coincidence, Mr Saxena." "This one gave up practice... at Lokhande's instance." "The man who arrested you" "Then he is my man." " Not man." "She's a woman" "Justice Bhargav's daughter." "Her parents died in an accident" "She works day and night to get over her loneliness" "Past seven, Simran." "Leave early on Saturdays, at Ieast" "Home is where I end up, Prabhakar." "Even there, I'II be all alone" "So why not work a bit more?" "Even the coffee is over" "Who's there?" "Who did this?" ""Life is so lonely"" ""I need a mate"" ""Life is all about a search..."" ""for a mate"" ""Someone will love me..."" ""I still believe"" ""Someone will wait for me"" ""I'm telling you something, my friend"" ""I tell my heart not to go crazy"" ""Life is so drab"" ""I need a mate"" ""Life is all about a search..."" ""for a mate"" ""Day and night someone torments me"" ""This journey I can't make alone"" ""How restless she has left me..."" ""she knows not"" ""I can't hold myself back"" ""I long to embrace her"" ""In life, I thirst..."" ""for a mate"" ""Life is all about a search..."" ""for a mate"" "I don' think you understand what I'm saying, Simran" "Ms Bhargav, if you want, I'II call Mr Shekhar Saxena here." "talk to him" "No use" "I'm only a corporate lawyer now." "Just like you..." "I'm happy representing companies selling soap and oil" "I'm tired of murder, rape, robbery." "Besides, this week I'm busy" "I know you're busy with a case." "But those cases can wait" "You're very stubborn." "No matter how large an offer I make..." "I know you won't take up this case." "So I'II make you a request" "please save Shekhar Saxena" "If the Iaw hangs him, it'II be a grave injustice to someone who's... not only a promising journalist, but also a nice man" "please be seated, madam." "I'II inform the sahib" "So the colour black is still your favourite?" "Yes." "Five years ago, you wore black." "At the Bar Association's function" "I was a smaII-time journalist." "You made a fine speech about... the rising incidence of crime in the city." "Do you still get worked up... while making speeches?" " Nowadays I don't make speeches" "But you have a good memory." " For things worth remembering" "Ms Simran, if I am not mistaken, you said during the speech... that you Iike flowers." "You said, the sight of blossoming flowers... makes one blossom like a flower." "Despite trials and tribulations... the zest for achieve one's goals, is increased manifold" "You said that, didn't you?" " Yes, I said so" "But then, I spoke of bookish things." "Life hadn't taught me anything" "Now I know, no matter how pretty the flower is, it will wilt" "But before it wilts, the flower spreads it's fragrance" "contemplate this Ms Bhargav." "For fear of wilting... had flowers not blossomed, the world wouldn't have been so beautiful" "What do you mean to say?" " That a single incident couldn't... have compelled someone as capable and as intelligent as you are... to discard your education and your expertise" "Besides, this decision of yours not only affects you... but it also affects the lives of many others, Iike me... who want to live life" "I didn't kill my wife." " Did I ask you?" "If you took up my case, you would." " Maybe not." "Because... before taking up a case, I find out what's true and what's not" "Then find out." "Satisfy yourself." "If you contest for me..." "I'II surely win the case." "I want to win." "Because I want to live" "We can't contest this case without proof" "The one I've been looking for everywhere is right next to me?" "May I sit down?" " Do whatever you wish" "Once upon a time, Ms Simran and I used to punish criminals together" "I hear now she's getting into the business of saving criminals" "Do I hear you're taking up Shekhar Saxena's case?" "Wrong" "Take my advice, turn wrong into right!" "The contest is more fun when the competition is a seasoned player" "And the spirit of the game is not to find out until the Iast... who the winner will be" "Have you heard of Ajit?" "The one you and I framed?" "I hear he hanged himself last night" "Just as well!" "A quick tug is better than dying the slow convict's death" "Four years ago, I was the prosecutor in Ajit's case." "I put my trust in..." "Inspector Lokhande's chargesheet." "I took my case honestly" "Ajit's mother screamed her son's innocence" "Instead, I trusted the witnesses Lokhande paraded" "Ajit was sentenced for life." "Later I got to know that..." "Lokhande had framed Ajit for some petty personal gain" "He had proof of Ajit's innocence." "But he didn't even mention it" "You're getting worked up for no reason, Simran" "I don't think you're at fault in Ajit's case" "Even if you are at fault, will it assuage your guilt... if you take up Shekhar Saxena's case?" " An innocent died because of me" "If another innocent man is saved from the gallows because of me..." "I might be able to face myself once again" "You're making a mistake for undoing another" "Amit, I need your help on this case." " I'm always with you, Simran" "If Shekhar Saxena is really guilty..." "During the course of the case, if I find that you are guilty... or if you ever try to lie to me, I'II drop the case midway" "Mr Saxena wants you to take up his case" "I accept." "I'II never lie to you, nor will I ever hide anything from you" "I need your appointment diaries, bank statements, details of meetings" "You will have them." " One more thing" "till this case is over, I'd Iike you not to attend any public meetings... nor to write any newspaper articles." "Neither will your photos be published" "Neither the judge nor the public should think that... we're trying to influence them." "secondly, you must carry yourself... in a manner as to project yourself as having completely broken down... after your wife's murder." " I am a broken man, Ms Bhargav" "One thing I'd Iike to tell you too, Mr SinghaI." "I don't want... you, or any of the lawyers from your firm to help me." "This case..." "I am fighting on my own." "Amit will help me, if I need any" "I want to project this case as just another case" "It will be as you wish" "I have taken up your challenge" "I have taken up Shekhar Saxena's case" "Nice" "Makes the case interesting" "well madam, how may I be of service?" " You can't even service anyone" "I just came to tell you that whatever you did to Ajit..." "That Ajit was scum!" "Just as well that he killed himself" "else, he would've crawled as long as he lived" "But this new client of yours, is a bit more educated, smart" "tell him not to mess with me, and admit his guilt straightaway" "The law might be a bit lenient towards him" "I know more about the Iaw than you do, Lokhande" "Get this clear." "If you try to conceal any evidence that might prove..." "Shekhar Saxena's innocence, I will prosecute you under Section..." "Enough!" "Don't you give me Sections." "Two things I remember by heart" "One, my daily prayer." "The other, the Iaw" "When to use what section, I know very well" "You fancy playing with the letter of the Iaw, don't you?" "play" "Draw up the biggest chargesheet you can, against him" "But if Shekhar Saxena is innocent, I'II have him exonerated in court" "while you look on" "I opened the door and I came inside" "What was the first thing you noticed?" "blood" "Her blood was all over." "Upto here" "I stepped towards the bed, slowly" "Her hands, her feet were tied" "Her dress was in tatters" "Her legs were tied to this" "Her breasts had been ripped out" "She had been knifed between the legs" "Joy comes clothed in sorrow's garb" "Such was my first meeting with Preeti" "I was a smaII-time journalist." "I was at the Press club to interview her" "Preeti's glamour, her wealth, her style, her diction..." "I liked everything about her." "We began seeing each other... and before I knew it, we were married" "After a while into the marriage, I got to know what standing... a middIe-cIass boy has in the eyes of a high-cIass girl like Preeti" "Maybe she thought it was fashionable to marry an ordinary man like me" "And I... fool that I was, I kept imagining that..." "I too would climb the social ladder, and someday..." "I'd stand as tall as she stood." "But the ladder, I couId never climb" "And she never climbed down to come near me" "A strange separation marred our relationship" "Like twin rail tracks, we journeyed in each other's company" "Sounds strange, doesn't it?" "We lived together, but together, we never were" "close, but close, we never were" "Passionate for each other, yet lonely" "So lonely" "I want all the fingerprint details" "also about the case..." "What happened?" "What are you doing Simran?" "I've made coffee for you" "Here you are, asleep." "Use the coffee." "We're working all night" "If that was the kind of relationship between you and Preeti... you must have abhorred her sometimes?" "You never felt like betraying her?" "Never." "As long as she was, she was the only one in my Iife" "I didn't even look at another woman" "Did she think as you did?" "I mean, did she ever, with someone else...?" "As far as I know, no." " Meaning?" "As far as I know, no." " Which means... you didn't have full faith in her?" " You're the one... who doesn't have faith in me." "Isn't that why you're asking me all this?" "You still think I'm making up the story." "You think I killed my wife" "You are trying to find out why." " Nothing like that." "I'm only asking" "Don't ask." "Look... into my eyes." "You'II get to know what's true, what's not" "I'm parched" ""What has come over me ever since I saw you?"" ""What's this ecstasy I feel?"" ""What has come over me ever since I saw you?"" ""What's this ecstasy I feel?"" ""I hope I don't fall in love;" "I hope I don't get lost"" ""How do I hold myself back, tell me"" ""I hope I don't fall in love;" "I hope I don't get lost"" ""How do I hold myself back, tell me"" ""Why do you invade my dreams with those stares through your tresses?"" ""Downcast eyes, words softly spoken draw me to you." "Oh why?"" ""A fragrance clouds my vision, and suffuses my being"" ""What storm rages under my breath, I do not know"" ""I hope I don't make the mistake;" "I hope I don't fall in love"" ""How do I hold myself back, tell me"" ""I can't hold myself back anymore"" ""How do I tell you, it's no fault of mine?"" ""Even if I wanted to, I cannot stop change"" ""How do I conceal my emotions, for it burns without a fire?"" ""I hope I don't give in to desire;" "I hope I don't fall in love"" ""How do I hold myself back, tell me"" ""I hope I don't fall in love;" "I hope I don't get lost"" ""How do I hold myself back, tell me"" "Are you certain you saw the knife in this locker?" "I have answered this question times without number." "But one thing... is for sure." "I'm not Shekhar Saxena's enemy." "I'm his friend" "shall I tell you something?" "I Iike him very much" "Even if you present me with foolproof evidence... of Shekhar Saxena having murdered his wife, I won't accept it" "But even more true is the fact that I saw the knife in this very locker" "I say you better eat." "Because what I'm about to tell afterwards... will ruin your appetite." "Yes madam." "Lokhande has drawn up... a huge chargesheet against your millionaire" "On the basis of a knife that an attendant saw in Shekhar's locker?" "Lokhande loves wasting government stationery" "Let him." "I know how to tackle him." " It isn't as trivial as you think" "Even Lokhande knows his case is weak." "Is that why he's playing his cards?" "What has he done?" " He has mentioned a girl." "ShaIini" "He might present her in court" "girl?" " Yes." "Now that the matter is out... it will run it's course." "Your client... is young, handsome and rich." "A scandal is possible" "If you want to do whatever you want, why did you appoint me your lawyer?" "What happened?" "What's the matter?" " Didn't I tell you that..." "I'II drop the case if you're guilty or if you ever lie to me?" "But I have never lied to you." " But you have hidden the truth" "Who is this ShaIini?" "Have your laugh." "But when Lokhande presents her in court against you..." "let me see you laugh then." " Even if he presents her in court... he can't hurt me." " But I want to know all about her" "I'II tell you." "On one condition" "You must bring back the smile on your face" "You have to go over to the telephone company" "I want details of all calls received on this number during the past year" "Whose number is this?" " Shekhar Saxena's" "Get a handwriting expert on your way back." "I want to verify a letter" "What's all this going on?" "Have you asked about ShaIini?" "I'm saying all this after taking ShaIini into consideration" "She is no threat to us" "I think you're trying to save the wrong man" "No." "I'm saving an innocent man from being pronounced guilty" "As you wish." "You will have all the details by tomorrow" "shall we leave now?" " Where to?" "Must I remind you it's Sapna's birthday?" "Amit, I think I must remind you that we're working on an important case" "When did I tell you not to work?" "Ever since you took up this case... we've been working round the clock." "What more do you want?" "until Shekhar Saxena is exonerated, are we to stop living our lives?" "please yourself." "Go partying wherever you want." "But as of now..." "I have to save someone's life" "What if I can't be saved?" " Why can't you be saved?" "Have you killed her?" "Murder isn't necessary to hang a man" "It's just wordplay." "What words a lawyer uses in court... how he presents his witnesses, the truths he turns into lies... and the evidence..." " Those who wish to perjure, Iet them" "Truth will stand witness for us." "The truth will set us free" "That maybe so." "But I feel scared." "What if the court believes Lokhande?" "And then what happens?" "At most, you will hang" "The judge will pound his gavel... he will adjust his thick spectacles... then he will sign the sentence to hang, and he will break the pen" "Then?" "What else?" "Two burly executioners will lead you in chains to the gallows" "They will shroud your face in black cape" "And for the Iast time, you will be asked..." ""Mr Shekhar Saxena, what is your last wish?"" ""You can touch your heart and ask for anything"" ""We shall try to give you your wish"" ""Speak, what do you wish?"" "You" ""I was restless when I met you"" ""little do you know how lonely I am"" ""I was restless when I met you"" ""little do you know how lonely I am"" ""How dearly I Iove you..."" ""just come close to me and see"" ""The fires that rages within..."" ""just embrace me and feel"" ""I can't express what I feel"" ""In body and soul, I seek you"" ""The moment's weakness..."" ""let not pass"" ""This distance tell us..."" ""to end this distance"" ""I have no wish, no desire..."" ""all I need is you"" "Look at this Amit." "Another letter" "Who might have written this letter?" "Who knows about this case?" "evidently someone who wants to prove him innocent." "Like you" "only that this letter was also typed on the same Remington typewriter" "The t in innocent is raised" "Who's doing all this?" "Find out Amit." " That's so easy." "AII I have to do... is knock on every door and say, "Excuse me, Ms Simran has sent me"" ""Do you perchance have a Remington typewriter?" "Let me take a look"" ""Is that t raised?"" "I didn't mean that Amit" "You weren't home last night." " I was at home" "Why didn't you take my calls?" "Maybe it's out of order" "You're lying!" "Are you calling that murderer?" "What did you say?" " Shekhar Saxena is a murderer" "Not you." "That's jealousy speaking." "You're jealous of Shekhar" "Am I?" "jealous of that murderer?" "Your face, your eyes, every part of you is screaming out... you're jealous of him!" "You are on fire" "And because you are burning, you want to see an innocent man hanged" "You're mixing your personal feelings with the case" "Not I!" "You are mixing your personal feelings with the case" "Just look at you!" "You're obsessed with his innocence" "You don't even understand that he is using you" "He wants to seduce you into giving your best effort to save him!" "I always put in my best effort to save someone" "But what kind of a lawyer are you?" "You have pronounced a verdict even before the trial has begun" "With the same zeal that you're trying to prove my jealousy, look within" "Why don't you admit that you're having an affair with him?" "And you want to save your lover!" "Have you had your say?" "Now listen to me" "If you want to stay on in this case with me, you must remember one thing" "In this trial, we are defending Shekhar Saxena, not prosecuting him" "With or without your help, I must do justice to him" "I'II wait inside" "You know what my biggest problem is?" "At no point in life can I desert you" "You may consider that a weakness" "shall we?" "You may make your opening statement" "The chargesheet following the investigations by the police... aIIeges that at 2 am on july 12..." "Mr Shekhar Saxena murdered his wife Preeti Saxena... in the most horrible manner" "The motive for murder was greed and avarice" "Greed for Preeti Saxena's wealth" "And for the chair that Shekhar Saxena merely occupied, but that which... would be his forever, after Preeti Saxena." "Avarice" "Avarice, that addiction by far more dangerous than any drug" "And addicted once, even the thought of denial torments the addict" "I intend to prove that Preeti Saxena's death..." "Before Preeti Saxena's murder, her relationship with Shekhar... had deteriorated to the point of divorce." "Had the divorce happened... it wouId not only ruin Shekhar's prestigious career... but also all his comforts and luxuries would cease to be" "So in one clean sweep, he gets rid of the DamocIes sword... dangling over his head." "In my capacity... as the public prosecutor, I Nitin Mehta will prove... the allegations against Mr Shekhar Saxena... so as to enable the court to pronounce him guilty... and in terms of the Indian penal Code, sentence him... at Ieast with death" "Shekhar Saxena is innocent." "I Simran Bhargav, shall prove it" "My next witness is Ms ShaIini Sachdev" "Ms ShaIini Sachdev, what was your relationship with... the deceased Preeti Saxena?" " She was my friend" "You may say that she took me for a sister" "will you tell the court what your friend... who was more like your sister, had to say about her husband?" "She wasn't happy with her husband." " One minute" "She knew that he doesn't love her." "She even told me that..." ""Shekhar is after another girl of late"" "Did Preeti tell you anything more?" " Yes" "Very soon she would be seeking a divorce from Shekhar Saxena" "Shekhar Saxena is innocent." "I Simran Bhargav, shall prove it" "My next witness is Ms ShaIini Sachdev" "Ms ShaIini Sachdev, what was your relationship with... the deceased Preeti Saxena?" " She was my friend" "You may say that she took me for a sister" "will you tell the court what your friend... who was more like your sister, had to say about her husband?" "She wasn't happy with her husband." " One minute" "She knew that he doesn't love her." "She even told me that..." ""Shekhar is after another girl of late"" "Did Preeti tell you anything more?" " Yes" "Very soon she would be seeking a divorce from Shekhar Saxena" "First of all, I must compliment you for your beauty" "When did Preeti Saxena tell you about the divorce?" "I don't remember the date." " still...?" "Some two or three months ago" "She's shooting in the dark" "Is it not true that six months before she died..." "Preeti Saxena severed all relationships with you?" "No." "We used to talk over the phone." "And we used to meet at the club" "Do you remember when you met for her the Iast time?" "I told you." "Remembering dates is difficult for me" "Is it true that you liked Shekhar Saxena?" "Weren't you impressed by his personality, and his wealth?" "It was nothing like that." " But it is something like that" "Is it not true that Preeti Saxena severed all relationships with you... because she knew that you were trying to attract her husband?" "The witness is being pressurised unnecessarily" "I can prove it" "On December 7, 1999, did you not call Shekhar Saxena's office... repeatedly, trying to speak to him?" " I do not remember" "I am holding the records of the telephone company" "At 9:50 am on December 8." "At 1 1 :40 am. 1 pm. 3pm. 5pm..." "I told you, I can't remember dates!" " 10... 1 1 ... 12... 13 times" "I told you, I don't remember a thing!" " Over a month, there wasn't even... a day when you didn't try at Ieast 10 times to contact Shekhar Saxena" "What's going on Jadhav?" "You didn't find out about this?" "Don't you even remember writing a letter on December 31 ...?" "To Shekhar Saxena." "A love letter." " This is a lie!" "Is this your handwriting, Ms ShaIini?" "Yes" "Are you the one who wrote this letter to Shekhar Saxena?" "Yes" "Read it" "Read the letter, Ms ShaIini" "Louder, please" "You know, because I want to be close to you..." "I made friends with someone as vain and rude as Preeti" "That's why I tolerated her." "And now, when I have begun... visiting your house, you're avoiding me." "May I ask why?" "Shekhar, I want to spend this New Year's eve with you" "Preeti will never come to know of this" "What Ms ShaIini couldn't do with the letter... she is trying to do in court" "clearly, any beautiful woman will seek revenge after she is spurned" "Shekhar Saxena didn't visit her on New Year's Eve." "Instead... he showed this letter to his wife Preeti." "That was when..." "Preeti severed all relationships with ShaIini" "How would I know?" "Why don't you ask Preeti about this?" "This car...?" " Amit's" "At this hour?" "Something urgent, maybe" "Then I should leave?" "Anything important?" "This is Jimmy, the swimming coach in the club where Shekhar has a locker" "The attendant says that Lokhande saw Jimmy last week" "So...?" "Jimmy hasn't been seen ever since." " Meaning?" "Lokhande and Jimmy will surely drop a bomb on us at the next hearing" "What can he be up to?" " This I do not know" "Anything on the knife?" " I have inquired with... each and every member of the club." "On December 31 ... no one had kept a knife in his locker." "There's no question... of the attendant being wrong." "He saw the knife... in Shekhar's locker" "Have you inquired with ex-members?" "There might be some who ceased to be members after December 31" "Ask them." " Simran, you want me... to go back to the club again, look up the register again..." "list the ex-members, and go around telling everyone that..." "Shekhar is innocent" "Shekhar I wanted to discuss something important about the case" "Go on" "Never mind." "You'II remember it again" "Yes, I'II call you as soon as I remember" "Listen..." "Where are you now?" " Nowhere." "I'm still on my way" "That I didn't want to leave shouIdn't surprise you." "I should be surprised" "Today in court I watched you put up that fight in earnest, for my sake" "And my heart swelled in pride" "For the first time, I have felt, here's someone who trusts me... someone who sees my innocence." "Oh, how I wish I were lost" "How can I go away from you?" "I'm so close to you..." "I can even reach out and touch you." "To tell you the truth, the sight... of you sitting on the stairs, cradling the phone... waiting for me, makes me feel nice." "I wish I couId pick you up... in my arms, and take you someplace far away" ""You have become the joy of my soul, the love of my heart"" ""You have become my Iife"" ""You have become the joy of my soul, the love of my heart"" ""You have become my Iife"" ""Shekhar will be hanged"" ""From my being, you have seeped into my soul"" ""Through my eyes, you have entered my heart"" ""The desire of my dreams..."" ""you have become"" ""You have become my Iife"" ""AII that which I hid..."" ""my intimate moments when I hummed..."" ""in my loneliness, the lines I wrote..."" ""my poetry you have become"" ""You have become my Iife"" "My next witness is..." "Ms Rita Desai" "No such witness is listed on the agenda of court proceedings" "She is not listed because she wasn't willing to appear in court" "She has been issued special summons because I feel that... her deposition will prove vital for the progress of this case" "You will be given ample opportunity to cross-examine the witness" "Who is this girl?" " Friend" "Meaning?" "Just a friend" "I shouldn't be asking this, but I am compelled to" "tell me, what is your age?" "24 years" "What is your relationship with Shekhar Saxena?" "Friendship." " As of now, friendship." "I know" "But I'm asking about last year" "We were in love" "Was this love mutual?" "Yes!" "Are you confident, Ms Rita" "I mean, what you think was love... might have been mere friendship from Mr Shekhar's point of view" "It was Shekhar who proposed first." "He told me... that ever since he saw me, he has been mad about me" "Once he had fallen in love with you, did he... during certain delicate moments ever mention of divorcing his wife?" "I know this is difficult for you." "But it's imperative... that the court is told." "please Ms Rita" "He had said, that..." " That...?" "He wants to separate from Preeti, and become mine forever." "But..." "What, Ms Rita?" " But he couldn't do it, because... once separated from Preeti, he would also be divorced from her wealth" "Mr Jimmy, did you know Preeti Saxena?" " Yes" "How?" " She used to come to the club... to Iearn swimming." "I was her personal coach" "And the personal coaching turned into a friendship after a while?" "She had begun to take a liking for me." "Maybe I liked her too" "Yes, you might say that we became friends quite fast" "And very soon, the friendship led you to her bed?" "This is a personal matter." " concealing anything... from the court could be dangerous for you" "I didn't strike up a relationship with her of my own volition" "She wanted it." " You gave her what she wanted?" "How long did this go on?" " As long as she lived" "Despite knowing that she was a married woman?" "Yes" "Preeti said if her husband could have affairs despite being married... then why not she?" "will you please elucidate?" "Preeti told me that every night, Shekhar brings home a new girl" "First, he impresses her with his talks." "Next, on the pretext... of showing her around his house, he shows off his wealth." "Then he takes her on a tour of his collection of flowers" "He uses poetry, sometimes a tale, he talks of nature... and he impresses her even more." "Then, at the first opportunity... he takes her to bed." " directly?" "directly" "Despite knowing all this about Shekhar Saxena..." "Preeti Saxena never spoke of divorcing him?" "Strange..." "Once she did tell me that she wants to do it" "But then she also said that Shekhar was managing her business very well" "I remember, being told once that she knows that her husband is using her" "Then she laughed, "So what?" "I'm using him too." "Maybe this is life"" "Simran, stop!" "Simran, listen to me" "My mistake." "I trusted a man like you" "You have used Simran." "You made me a pawn" "It's not Iike that!" "I wanted to tell you all this." "But..." "But...?" "One, I thought the police would never get to know of all this" "I'm not talking about the police." "I'm talking about ourselves" "Maybe you don't remember me telling you that... if you ever lie to me, I'II drop this case midway" "I remember, Simran." "But I didn't tell you all this because..." "I didn't want to lose you." " You have lost me, anyway" "Me, and your lawyer" ""If he has broken my heart, why should I hate him?"" ""He has the right to love me, or not to love me"" "Hi, this is Simran." "please leave your name and your message after the beep" "Simran, I know you're there" "Simran, please try to understand me" ""In a moment, he dispelled all my misgivings about promises"" ""At this painful juncture, he has left me alone"" ""At this crossroad, I shall become a stranger to him for life"" ""Let him hurt me as he pleases"" ""He has the right to love me, or not to love me"" ""If he has broken my heart, why should I hate him?"" "One more letter" ""What I didn't know, I have understood now"" ""Love is a trade in hearts"" ""But how can anyone dictate how the heart beats?"" ""The heart is free to heave in sighs, where it wishes"" ""Why stand in the way of the heart?"" ""He has the right to love me, or not to love me"" ""If he has broken my heart, why should I hate him?"" "I've done my job." "I've found out everything about Jimmy Pereira" "I'm dropping this case" "Because Shekhar lied to you?" "What if it was another client who lied to you?" "would you still quit?" "You were obsessed about winning this case." "Now you don't want to contest?" "You aren't quitting because you suspect Shekhar Saxena's innocence" "You just can't tolerate the fact that there were other women in his life" "Amit, this is my personal matter" "shall I tell you something honestly?" "Deep down inside..." "I'm glad that you are dropping this case" "Ever since Shekhar Saxena transpired, he has caused me much anguish" "But I will never advise you to quit." "For my selfish ends... for my sake, I won't stand in the way of your victory" "If you dump Shekhar Saxena at this juncture... the public and the judge will both think that he's a criminal" "I'm not going to let Simran stand in the way of the lawyer... whose prime duty is to save the client" "I'd Iike to summon Mr Jimmy Pereira once again before this court" "Where were you working before the job at national Gymkhana?" "At Country club." " What reason for quitting... a job at such a prominent club?" " What do you mean?" "You know what I mean." "Is it not true that you were fired?" "What nonsense are you saying?" "I quit on my own volition" "Your memory is a bit weak." "You are forgetting that... upon the complaint of a married woman... the management had acted on suspicion about your character... and you were served notice to leave the club" "What nonsense are you talking?" "What proof do you have?" "In this court, you have admitted... that you had a physical relationship with Preeti Saxena" "will you tell this court where you took her for sexual intercourse?" "evidently, I didn't do it in public." "Sometimes a hotel... sometimes in my place, sometimes at her place" "In the same house where she was murdered?" "Yes, but I didn't know that she was about to be murdered, did I?" "Did Preeti remunerate you for your services?" "Are you out of your mind?" "What do you take me for?" "I do not mean to hurt you" "will you tell the court whether before having sex with Preeti... you used to tie her hands and her feet, using a rope, or...?" "You bitch!" "What did you say?" "What did you say, Mr Jimmy?" "tell the court what you said" "I said "bitch"" "Bitch... bitch... bitch" "Mr SodawaterwaIIah, please tell the court about that knife" "It was a 6-inch knife, it was designed like this..." "In which locker did you see it?" " Don't you folks understand... anything at one go?" "I've said it a thousand times." "Locker number 502" "And for the thousand-and-one-th time the locker belonged to Shekhar Saxena" "And I'II also telling you, that knife was a solid one" "My next witness is Mr LaIit Advani." "Like Mr Shekhar Saxena... he too is a member of national Gymkhana" "Who's Advani?" "Mr Advani, on December 31 , did you keep a knife in your locker" "No, I put the knife in it a week before that" "On December 31 , the knife was still there" "please take a good look." "Is this knife yours?" "Yes" "What's the number of your locker?" "The locker just beneath Mr Shekhar Saxena's locker" "I would Iike to recall Mr Rustom" "Are you certain that you saw the knife in locker number 502... and not in locker number 402?" " I told you!" "Ask me once... ask me a million times, the knife was in number 502" "Look carefully." "Is this the knife you saw on December 31?" "This knife isn't the same as that one" "How was it different?" " This is rusty, scratches" "That knife was brand new" "It may have been brand new then." "But between December 31 and now... it could have become a bit scratched, it could've become a bit rusty" "Think before you answer, Mr Rustom" "This is a matter of someone's life and death" "could this have been the knife?" "could this have been the knife, Mr Rustom?" "could it have been this knife?" " could be!" "I'm not God!" "If you insist, this might also be." "Anything might be, yes anything!" "please let me go!" "My brain is cooked!" "Now what more do you want to ask?" "I told you, it could be" "Anything might be!" "That day, I was out of my mind, out of my brains!" "To hell with your knife, to hell with your locker!" "I don't want any of this!" "I only want to be left in peace" "I wanted..." "Simran, I want to talk to you." " I don't want to" "Weren't you prancing about in the courtroom?" "And saying your dialogues with a sway of those hips!" "AII fired-up, aren't you?" "Say, how about taking you to bed and dousing your fires?" "tell me" "I have been waiting for you." "Another letter, addressed to you" "The same Remington typewriter with the raised t" "Our ally wants us to meet this girl" "Yes?" " Ms PayaI MaIhotra?" "Yes." " I'm Simran Bhargav" "I know." "Come in" "Ms PayaI, please tell the court about the incident... on the night of January 9, 1998" "I was asleep in my bed." "I heard something and came awake" "Before I couId scream, someone clamped down on my mouth" "I was very scared." "I saw a man astride my bed... bending down over me." "He was dressed in black." "He was wearing a black mask" "He had a knife in his right hand" "This deposition is not related to Preeti Saxena's murder" "Ms PayaI, can you recall how the knife looked?" "Yes." "It was large." "As hunting knives are, serrated along the edge" "What happened afterwards?" " His left hand... was clamped over my mouth." "With the right... he placed the point of the knife on my throat" "And slowly, he began pressing." "I was bleeding" "But I was so scared, that I couldn't even scream" "Then, he slowly began drawing the knife downwards" "He incised downwards, towards my heart" "And then, he slashed me wherever he fancied!" "He kept on cutting, slashing!" "After that, he tied my hands and my feet" "Then he dipped the point of the knife in my blood" "And on the wall in front of me, he wrote, "bitch"" "Then suddenly, he took pity on me, I don't know why" "At the end of it, instead of doing anything, he licked the knife" "And before I couId understand anything, he vanished into the dark" "Ms PayaI, you must have read about Preeti Saxena's murder in the papers" "Yes" "Do you realise that both of you were attacked in the same manner?" "Yes" "That's why I went to the police station to depose" "I also lodged a written complaint." " Is the concerned police officer... whom you spoke to, present in this court?" "He's sitting over there" "He has been to my house twice" "Once, three weeks after Preeti's murder, and the day before yesterday" "What did he have to tell you?" " He told me that the incident... which happened to me is not related in any way to Preeti's murder" "This is not the truth!" "They are trying to mislead the court!" "I shall speak to you later in this matter" "When this incident happened to you, were you a member of Country club?" "Yes." " Who was the swimming coach?" "Jimmy Pereira" "If I am not mistaken, you had an intimate relationship... with Jimmy Pereira?" "The court is adjourned for two hours pending verdict" "PayaI MaIhotra's report isn't in the police records" "After perusing the evidence, and the depositions of witnesses... this court has arrived at the conclusion... that the accused Shekhar Saxena is innocent... and the allegations against him are baseless" "This court acquits Mr Saxena... and urges the police to trace the real culprit" "How come you know of it?" " Not everyone in this world... is like you, Mr Lokhande." "Someone wrote a letter to me" "Someone I don't even know, helped me throughout." "Anything else?" "It was no stranger who helped you." "It was Shekhar Saxena himself" "According to a weII-worked-out plan." "Shekhar Saxena killed Preeti Saxena" "I can bet on it." "And he had begun planning it a year and a half ago" "Shekhar Saxena knew he'd be prime suspect in Preeti Saxena's murder" "That's why he used Jimmy Pereira." "Jimmy and PayaI were close... to each other." "The modus operandi he used on PayaI a year and a half ago... was the same one which he planned to use on Preeti." "Next, he conspired... to have Jimmy fired from Country club, and then... he appointed him in national Gymkhana." "So that Jimmy Pereira and Preeti... would come close to each other, and as soon as that happened... he killed Preeti." "The man who wrote the letters to you is Shekhar Saxena" "And Preeti Saxena's murderer is Shekhar Saxena, and no one else" "You have lost the case, Mr Lokhande." "Get used to living with defeat" "You can do no harm to Shekhar" "Today, if I stand before you... it is all Ms Simran Bhargav's doing" "That I'm alive today, is because of her" "During the trial, I have hurt someone close to me." "For the first time..." "I am feeling the loss." "Despite all my efforts, I couldn't erase... the shadows of my past." "And today, I stand in public and I apologise" "Forgive me if you can" "Say good afternoon" "It's past three" "Get up and get fresh." "Your slave is cooking for you today" "What happened, Simran?" "Where are you going?" "I had forgotten." "I have an important meeting" "What about our lunch?" "I'II call" "Work over?" "It isn't quite two hours since you left... and I'm feeling as if I've been lonely for years" "There's someone at the door." "I'II call you later" "Simran, I'II pick you up at eight." "We're going out for dinner" "Not tonight, Shekhar." "Maybe some other time" "Whatever you said was true, Mr Lokhande" "I won, yet I have lost." "I was mistaken about Shekhar" "I have committed a grave crime by saving a murderer" "But now, I have evidence against him." " What?" "I have found the typewriter he used to write those messages" "I want to bring it over to you." " Get over to the police station" "I'II be there" "Hi, this is Simran." "please leave your name and your message after the beep" "I'II contact you." "Thank you" "It's ten thirty at night, and you still haven't called me" "You have saved my Iife." "I hoped you would let me take you out... to dinner and give me a chance to express my gratitude" "Anyway, I don't know whether you have heard the news" "Jimmy Pereira is still evading the police." "He's a rogue" "He can do anything" "I didn't kill Preeti on purpose" "The fool that she was, she wanted to deprive me of my money" "What could I have done?" "Between Preeti and the money..." "I had to choose money." "tell me, did I have an option?" "And today, you leave me with no choices" "In my house, in my closet... you have discovered your death" "I thought we would have a lifetime together" "But if you'd rather that only one of us lives... then it has to be me, no?" "What I expected, and what has come to be..." "Outside, they're queueing up for interviews" "They want to see the girl who was so brave" "Simran, anyone can make a mistake" "But you could teach them how to make a success out of a mistake" "And you could teach them how to be a steadfast friend" "Get up Simran, and look through my eyes" "This morning awaits you"