Sunil RP Sethi
It was first day of entering Temple of justice for young Antriksh . He had recently passed out from Law College and taken license as advocate . He had high hopes and ambitions in the profession . He went to become a leading advocate of the State with his bio data containing Certificate of brilliant academic achievements and his participation certificates on Moot Courts at national level . He thought that he would be welcomed by any Law firm or Senior but was shocked to hear ‘no’ from the Senior Advocate to whom He had gone for apprenticeship ,citing excuse of no possibility of taking new assistant in view of large number of junior advocates already with him. Antriksh could understand situation . He then went to almost all leading Law firms but answer from all were the same. To his utter dismay he found lot many of his juniors joining good offices , just because they had recommendations and connections .
After about two months of efforts to join established Law Firm, he came face to face with reality . He had to start on his own. How could he succeed in a highly competitive profession with no Godfather or senior and with neither professional training nor clientage . Choice was less and he had no time to waste. He resolved to fight on his own to earn his place in profession . His past life moved across field of his mind. He could see himself, an orphan selling newspapers and then studying in Govt school. Then from selling milk he moved to starting his poultry farm . He never begged for any favour from anyone , not even God . Whatever he had got in his life was only on hardwork and untiring efforts.
Antriksh however got dejected as litigants were not willing to bet on him, with no professional training and experience . He however continued his efforts and started drafting cases for other advocates on paltry amounts to sustain himself . On briefs prepared by him , many Lawyers were arguing cases . He had satisfaction though not the name. Then he was called by Senior Advocate Ashok Sharma who because of advanced age was not in position to continue in profession . He asked Antriksh to sit in his office and handle all his briefs . Life had changed for Antriksh . Finally his patience was rewarded and now he had office as also fairly large number of cases . He never looked back and in few year he made his name in Courts . Judges were also impressed by his advocacy skills and oratory command despite his educational background of Govt school.
One day when he was sitting in high court waiting for his case to be called , he was called by the bench. He was told that a convict had written Letter of Appeal to Chief Justice against his conviction in a murder case wherein he had been sentenced to death penalty . Antriksh was asked by court to appear for convict as Amicus on payment of nominal fee by legal aid . He had never done any murder case before but couldn’t say no to honour bestowed upon him . He accepted the offer and copy of case paperbook was provided to him.
Antriksh went back home and for next one week he was reading file to prepare arguments but was clueless as the case was proved by dying declaration of an eye witness who had seen the murder himself , but while crossing road to reach victim was hit by a speeding vehicle which resulted in his death but not before he made statement to magistrate about murder . Antriksh went to jail to meet his client and asked him about case and also to get his Attorney signed . Inside jail he was taken to waiting area from where he could see the inside compound of jail where a young person was giving training of martial art to jail inmates. Warden asked him to sit and wait for Guruji . That was the first meeting with his client Keshav who was known as Guruji for fellow jail inmates . Keshav came and sat down on floor beside him . Antriksh had many questions but Keshav refused to answer any of them . Antriksh was annoyed ” If you didn’t want your case to be argued then why did you write the letter to Chief Justice ” . He got no reply to even this and then Keshav left after signing Attorney. He could see calmness and pain on the face of Keshav .
Next week case got listed. Antriksh went to court but was clueless in the arguments despite his all efforts . When case was called and he stood up to dias to start his arguments he was interrupted by the senior judge on the bench by saying there was nothing in case in favour of convict and that he had been engaged as of formality to give right of defence to accused . He then could understand the behaviour of Keshav . He was also angry with the judges to have used him for formality . Something changed in him and he resolved to give his best shot to the case . He asked for adjournment of case to prepare it thoroughly which was given by Judges with a smile . He felt insulted by that smile .
Case was taken for hearing after a month . This time he was ready . He put out his main plea …. Dying declaration of eye witness was not admissible and couldn’t be used against Keshav as dying declaration is relevant only to the circumstances leading to own death of its maker and not about death of someone else. That was a brilliant argument. Judges were also taken by surprise and he got what seemed impossible a month ago, verdict of acquittal for Keshav. He had won not only his first major case but judges also praised him in the judgement .
After three days he opened door in the early morning on ringing of call bell and found Keshav standing on door with Parshad . Keshav had gone to Vaishno Devi Temple after he was released from jail and was coming direct from there to Antriksh. Antriksh was living alone in the small house he had taken on rent. Keshav came in and Antriksh prepared tea for him. After he had taken tea he was still sitting on sofa . Antriksh was getting late for court so he told Keshav to go now as he was free. ” You have saved me from certain death. Now this life is yours. I won’t go anywhere ” said Keshav. Antriksh was taken aback. He was not prepared to have Keshav in his life but Keshav ignored all his logic. Antriksh told Keshav to leave in a harsh voice and went to court after locking door and leaving Keshav on roadside . When he came back in evening he saw Keshav sleeping near his door . He woke him up and took him in and gave food . He now understood that there was no way to avoid Keshav . From that day Keshav became his shadow . He was clerk , Munshi , Driver , cook etc of Antriksh .
After about a year thereafter Antriksh got married to Sunanda and by this time Antriksh was well established as advocate . He arranged for a job for Keshav as bouncer in a club of his client in Delhi. It took Antriksh lot of persuasions and finally pursuading Keshav to go to Delhi to join the job . At railway station Keshav was inconsolable but had no choice in view of pleading by Antriksh .
In five years time life had changed significantly . Antriksh had shifted to bigger house and was blessed with a daughter Somaya and a son Aakarshan , twins . It was early morning in the winters of January that there was someone on door pressing call bell . Antriksh went to open the door and there he was ….. Keshav, again with his luggage . He had come back after leaving his job . Keshav told him that he had left job of club two years back and then he joined as Bodyguard of a leading film actor but was missing peace of mind and so he left that job too and came to his Saviour. There was hardly any choice, so Keshav started living with them as family member. He was a helping hand to Sunanda and took extra care of both kids . He became Keshu Chacha of both kids and then to all kids of locality . He never asked for anything except food. Antriksh however always brought things for Keshav what he purchased for himself . Keshav became Rakhi Bhai of Sunanda .
Time flew past and in this time Antriksh grew high in stature and had little time for family but Keshav was always there to take care of whole family . He was Body guard of both kids particularly Somaya who had entered college . When Somaya was harassed by students in the name of ragging , she informed not her parents but Keshu Chacha and next day all persons who harassed her were begging pardon from her. Antriksh by thus time had become top Criminal lawyer of the state and had number of enemies also including gangsters against whom he was appearing as advocate. He never had fear of anyone.
It was on 24th May that Aakarshan was kidnapped by a gang and asked for ransom . Antriksh had no option than to pay hefty amount as ransom but shockingly even after getting ransom the gang refused to release Aakashan. Matter was then reported to police but nothing was forthcoming .
It was over a week since Aakarshan was kidnapped and there was no clue about him . Sunanda and Somaya had not taken food for almost complete week and were always crying , looking at door for Aakarshan to come which never happened . Antriksh had almost gone mad for his child . It was then Somaya went to her Keshu Chacha “Only you can bring him back. Pl do something Chachu”. Keshav looked at Antriksh who also had pleadings only in his eyes of hapless father craving to meet his son. Keshav nodded and went out.
In next one week it was not Keshav but Guruji who had come alive and revived his old contacts with criminals . News and information travel much faster in crime world than police network . One evening he got information from his sources about the whereabouts of Aakarshan. His gang was prepared for rescue mission though it was fraught with dangers .
Next morning Aakarshan came home unharmed though in bad condition and Keshav was taken to hospital with his three friends and nine kidnappers . All brought dead . Probably the most gruesome gang war . Also resued were 14 kids who were kidnapped from different places and kept in hideout by kidnappers . Joy and happiness of Antriksh and family was short lived when Aakarshan told them about Keshav . All rushed to hospital but it was too late. Bullet had hit Keshav on chest and torn through his heart ….. then Golden heart. Antriksh was in shock and had to be injected sedatives and so was Somaya . Keshav had paid his debt through his blood and life. Keshav however refused to die. He lives In the hearts of his family. Antriksh got a letter from suitcase of Keshav written to him but never posted wherein he had narrated the murder Keshav committed , of a person who had kidnapped his wife and killed her after ravishing her modesty .
Antriksh knew nothing how to pay back Debt of Keshav. May be in next birth , if there is one .
(The author is Senior Advocate)
srps7737@gmail.com
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