Ok, look, I'm no genius when it comes to legal issues and I'm not quite sure how it goes, so I'm just giving it a shot. DON'T JUDGE!
At the moment I'm not in the best mindset honestly.
~~CHAPTER 58: COURT HEARING~~
Song suggestion|Raabta
Jiah's POV:
"The proceedings may now be commenced. Armaan Khanna vs. Sir John" said one of the registrars sitting at the booth to the right of the jury.
I sat where Armaan was meant to sit on this very day as now u was taking his place. The judge after a few moments finally spoke up, "we'll start with Armaan Khanna" he eyed the table I sat at carefully as I ascended from my place.
"My lord, unfortunately my husband, Armaan Khanna passed away a couple of days back, so I will be presenting this case in front of you today in his place" I began.
The judge nodded and spoke, "I'm extremely sorry for your loss. Very well then."
"Your honour, this man standing in the position of a culprit in front of you in the guilty box, Sir John is not only a smuggler, but he is also a murderer" I accused him of the rightful charges.
"Your honour, these are false allegations. This woman is lying, my lord, please trust me."
The judge signed for Sir John to stop, and for me to continue, "how can you say this with such faith that this man here is a smuggler, a murderer? You do understand these are serious allegations Mrs. Khanna"
"Yes I do, my lord, and that is why I would like to call upon my first witness to the witness box, Miss. Ishita Dhanrajgir."
Yes, Ishita has herself surrendered to witness against Sir John, because she was unable to put up with the guilt of Armaan's death.
I raised my first question, "Miss. Dhanrajgir, does this man, Sir John, stay true to the allegations I have accused him with?"
She gulped, glanced at Sir John, and looked up at the judge, "yes, my lord."
The colour fled Sir John's face as I smirked at him, "Ishita how could you? You traitor, I thought you loved me?"
"Love?" questioned Ishita, "if you call a rape, love then love it is. My lord, this man is not only a smuggler, a murderer, but a rapist as well. He has smuggled drugs like cocaine, marijuana and heroine from a very young age and I've saw him murder at least 10 people in front of my eyes, one of them my dear friend Armaan, and I couldn't do anything to save those poor souls" she wept as I patted her shoulder.
"They're both lying, my lord, they're both lying" Sir John laughed as the wooden piece of justice collided with the surface, "order in the house of law."
I moved to the table and picked a bundle of files up and moved across the hall to the registrar clerk and handed it to him.
"My lord, if you have a look, these are all unresolved cases, which were shut down due to the lack of evidence supposedly. It wasn't the lack of evidence, but the lack of justice. The mouths of fhe justice seekers were forever sealed as death welcomed them and Sir John freely roamed the country. How long will this go on?" I demanded.
The court room was silent.
"These aren't just cases, files, my lord, they are people, victims of Sir John's brutality. And in one of these many files, lies ths unresolved case of my husband, who too died at the hands of the monster, trying to bring justice to those who need it."
Yet again, no one spoke.
"How many cases should I count? 10? 20? 50? 100? What about 6, 197 cases which lie unresolved?" the crowd let out a gasp as shock registered on the judge's face.
"Sorry, 6, 198" I corrected, "and guess what? They were all filed against the man who stands before us today in the house of law and justice," I pointed at him, "Sir John."
I walked back with a crying Ishita next to me and sat her down on a chair. "I rest my case, my lord."
The judge nodded and began writing something down before once again facing the crowd before him.
"Considering all that has been stated today, without hearing the reasoning of the afitdavit, I hereby close this case, as Sir John is guilty of these crimes has been proved, he is sentenced life imprisonment until he wishes to be hanged till death. Miss Dhanrajgir has been sentenced 2 years in jail, for being a bylooker and not taking a step and 15 years of imprisonment to all those accomplices of Sir John who were somehow related to his black deeds."
The jury and audience let out a clap of happiness and celebration.
"The court is now dismissed for the day" and the judge walked out from behind the red curtains.
Sir John and Ishita were shackled with hand cuffs and were dragged away.
"Thank you" I muttered parting from Ishita, "I had to do something for him," she said smiling as I wiped her tears.
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Hindi dictionary:
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Ok, one chap to go!!
Finally Sir John is brought to justice!!
Ishita wasn't really a bad person through the whole book, she too, like Armaan and Jiah, was a victim.
I hope that makes you like her a bit.
See you soon. ☺