Court (2014) - full transcript
A sewerage worker's dead body is found inside a manhole in Mumbai. An ageing folk singer is tried in court on charges of abetment of suicide. He is accused of performing an inflammatory song which might have incited the worker to commit the act. As the trial unfolds, the personal lives of the lawyers and the judge involved in the case are observed outside the court.
''Butterfly
On the creepers, the flowers
It laughs gently, the butterfly
Tiny, colorful wings
It sways and swings, the butterfly
Her small eyes, shimmer and shine
Like rounded gems, the butterfly
I try to catch her, alas
She flutters away, the butterfly”
All right.
Jagruti, fill in the blanks.
“Dash” is the largest state in India.
Rajasthan.
“Dash” is the largest continent
in the world.
Asia.
“Dash” is the longest river in India.
Narmada.
Wrong, Brahmaputra.
Sorry, Brahmaputra.
“Dash” is the oldest mountain range
in India.
Don't forget to do your homework.
Yes, I'm coming. Arriving in five minutes.
WADGAON MASSACRE
CULTURAL PROTEST MEET
Thank you, Miratai.
And now coming to perform for us
is the people's poet, Narayan Kamble.
Listen, brother!
Oh, brother
My dear brother
Pandemonium is here
Time to rise and revolt
Time to know your enemy
Time to know your enemy
Tough times are here
We're uprooted from our soil
This era of blindness
Has gouged our eyes
A gent appears a crook
An owl resembles a peacock
A giant becomes babyish
A baby turns into a giant
- The good ones are forgotten
- The good-for-nothings praised
The enemy...
The enemy is all-destructive
Yet we sing his praise
Time to know your enemy
Time to know your enemy
Satan is black-and-white
Your life trapped in his vice
Color is his weapon of choice
As death raises its voice
Colors play a game of dice
The rules are divisive
Humanity is in its cage
It burns, it disintegrates
Colors that multicolor
Colors that discolor
The color, it breaks
Now it looks fake
You are stupefied
How much will you forsake?
These dense jungles
These rusty jungles
Religious jungles
Casteist jungles
Racist jungles
Nationalist jungles
- On this deathly night
- We lose all our senses
Hands bruised and burnt
Hands bruised and burnt
Get a gift of boiling wax
Time to know your enemy
Time to know your enemy
The delusion of illusion
Money, it reigns supreme
Has turned man into a mongrel
This mongrel has 17 breeds
The blood is infested with hunger
Will this hunger be content, ever?
The search for happiness is on
But all directions are blurred
- This razzle dazzle
- Yes, brother
- This razzmatazz
- Yes, brother
- This scam sham
- Yes, brother
- These fancy malls
- Yes, brother
- Free for all
- Yes, brother
- This great fall
- Yes, brother
Scam sham, huge malls
Great Fall, Great Fall
Malady and gluttony
Gluttony and malady
What's going on? Stop this!
Where do I find Pradeep Shelke?
There, in that room.
- Pradeep Shelke?
- There.
One minute, please.
Can you fill the rest of the form outside?
Okay, sir. But please look into it.
I will.
- Hello, sir.
- Hello.
Have a seat.
Tell me.
I wanted to speak to you
about Narayan Kamble's arrest.
Are you his relative?
No. His lawyer.
- What is your name?
- Vinay Vora. Can we meet him?
No, we've sent him to Jogeshwari.
We don't have a holding cell here.
- You are the investigating officer, right?
- Yes.
On what charges was he arrested?
Didn't you tell him? He was right there.
What did you tell us?
You didn't tell us anything.
No, I told him.
I had gone with the warrant.
- Can I see the warrant?
- Sure. One minute.
Here.
Abetment of suicide?
Who committed suicide?
A man from the Sitladevi slums.
Who?
A sewer worker called Vasudev.
Oh?
Just last week,
Narayan Kamble and his boys
had performed in that very slum.
- Am I right?
- Yes.
In one of his songs,
Kamble incited all sewer workers
to commit suicide.
No, he didn't say anything of that sort.
That's what you're saying.
But we've received complaints,
we've got orders for his arrest.
Okay. Then?
Then what? Two days later,
that man went down the sewer and died.
But it could be an accident.
No, it's a clear case of suicide.
We don't make arrests without proof.
What proof? Show it to us.
There's no point arguing here.
We'll talk about this later.
Exactly. Tomorrow you can ask the judge.
Okay, sir. Here.
Okay.
- How about some tea?
- No, sir.
Okay.
Thank you.
Everyone clear the way.
Move along.
Good morning, ma'am. What do you need?
Notary, stamp duty, affidavit?
I'll do it all.
Your next date is September 5th.
Sir, I have to go to my hometown
in September.
In that case, take a date in October.
- October 13th, okay?
- Okay.
Thank you, sir.
Case number 133,
Radhanagar Police Station, Bankim Shah.
Note.
Stolen watch reported.
The plaintiff claims that
the watch has been stolen by his neighbor.
Proceed.
- Sir, I want to cross-examine him.
- Okay.
- State your name.
- Bankim Shah.
When did you realize
that your watch has been stolen?
Our family had gone out of town.
When we came back, we realized
someone had cut the window grill.
Why didn't you inform
the police about that?
I did, ask him.
- Had he mentioned it?
- Yes, he had.
Note down.
He had gone out for a week,
and when he came back,
he saw the grill was cut,
and the watch was stolen.
Forget the “he informed the police” bit,
that's not necessary.
Proceed.
Why do you think Rakesh Shukla
stole your watch?
Two weeks after the robbery,
someone in the neighborhood
saw him wearing the same watch.
But can't he own a similar watch?
How do you know it's your watch?
The watch is not from here.
A relative had gifted it to me.
He got it from America.
Note.
Someone from their neighborhood saw
Rakesh Shukla wearing the same watch,
and the watch was a gift from America.
Proceed.
But my client can also buy
a watch from America, right?
Please read the report carefully.
He has submitted the bill,
the serial number of the watch.
Yes, but can't he also buy a watch?
Yes, but how can he buy a watch
with the same serial number?
It says here that the serial number is
matching with that of the recovered watch.
How does it matter?
The serial number
can be of the product itself.
What are you saying?
How can the serial number match?
How can there be just one serial number?
We need to look into that, sir.
We need to find out
more details of the product.
You do one thing,
take a date for the next month.
November 12th.
Till then, investigate all you want.
That's exactly what I was saying, sir.
Thank you.
“Case number 134,
Sitladevi Police Station, Narayan Kamble.”
How can I assign bail?
These are all non-bailable offenses.
Sir, I request you to use your discretion
and grant conditional bail to my client.
No, no, I can't do it.
Sir, if you wish, you can put restrictions
on his further performances.
No, no. This is a Sessions Court case.
Twelve days judicial custody
for the accused.
Case number 135...
One minute, one minute.
What about these people?
They were traveling
in the handicapped compartment of a train.
- Do you all plead guilty?
- Yes, we do.
Okay, fine them 500 rupees each
and let them go.
Don't do this again.
Move. Move.
Come on.
MUMBAI PRESS ASSOCIATION
So I will conclude by saying that
if our constitution believes
in the right to life,
then it is the single most violated right.
Because the conditions being created today
are not suitable for survival.
There is another word for such conditions,
but I will not use that word.
Otherwise,
I will be arrested for sedition.
Thank you, thank you very much.
Satyajit, thank you so much
for sharing your experiences with us.
That was very insightful
and also very disturbing.
Next, we have advocate Vinay Vora.
He is a practicing criminal lawyer,
who specializes in criminal justice
and human rights.
He is also one of the founding members
of a legal center called Nidaan.
- Ninaad.
- Ninaad, I am sorry.
Good evening, everyone.
Today, I would like to talk to you
about the Mohsin Parvez case,
or rather multiple cases
in which I have been defending him
for the last five years.
Mohsin was first arrested in June 2007,
in connection with
the Kalyan bomb blast case.
Now, the police doesn't have
any conclusive evidence
and they've rounded up 30-odd suspects,
based on...
Well, we know what.
Mohsin has four alibi witnesses
from his workplace.
So we fight the case, we manage
to get a clean chit by the courts,
and Mohsin is released from jail.
Now, two weeks later,
he is re-arrested from his home
on three entirely new charges.
We file a habeas corpus petition,
we manage to secure bail,
and the cases go on for two years.
Now it's April 2010.
Mohsin is finally being released
by the courts without a single conviction.
On the day of his release,
he is stepping out of the jail,
and the moment he steps out,
they arrest him again.
Now, I asked the arresting officer
on what charges is he being arrested,
and they blurted some random charges,
and before we knew it,
they had just taken him away.
At that point, we realized that there was
nothing we could do to stop the arrest.
Now...
What is to be noted here
is that this is the same modus operandi
used with Vijay Ghagre in Girjagiri,
Chandan Shirke in Malwapur,
and countless others.
Interrogation sessions lasting
12-14 hours at a stretch...
One minute, sir.
All of us have been there.
Where are the leaders?
A hundred and twenty thousand people.
Out of every single session.
This is the problem with all...
- Foreign festival.
- Exactly.
Again this is... I'm sorry.
Proceed.
“The accused, Narayan Kamble, age 65,
is charged under Indian Penal Code,
Section 306.
Abetment of suicide,
in the death of Vasudev Pawar, age 25,
who was a worker under contract with
the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
The deceased person committed suicide
on the night of 24th August, 2012,
by choking himself to death inside a sewer
located at Ram Vilas Road, Andheri East.
The police,
after its thorough investigation,
concluded in its report
that it was a clear case of suicide.
No manhole worker,
with an experience of doing the job
for five years, like the deceased,
would go inside the sewers without any
kind of protection to eyes, nose, or skin.
These workers are fully aware of
the various hazardous gases
that breed inside the sewers,
and know that they can lead
to instant death
if proper precaution is not taken.
When the dead body of the deceased
was recovered from the sewer,
no safety equipment was found near him
even after searching for many hours.
No wounds, injuries, or signs of struggle
were found on Vasudev Pawar's body,
nor did the postmortem show
any other cause for death,
other than the poisonous gases
which were inhaled.
According to Section 306,
if any person commits suicide,
whoever abets the commission
of such suicide
shall be punished with imprisonment
of either description for a term
which may extend to 10 years
and shall also be liable to fine.
There is sufficient evidence collected
through police investigation,
as presented to Your Honor,
that the suicide of Vasudev Pawar
was provoked by
a performance of accused party,
Narayan Kamble and his troupe,
that took place at Sitladevi Nagar
on 21st August,
is the locality in which
the deceased resided,
and was seen in attendance of
the performance in question.
It should be noted
that the suicide took place
just two days after the performance.
As the statement of an eyewitness,
who is willing to testify
in this honorable court,
there was one song performed
by the accused,
which coaxed and encouraged
manhole workers to commit suicide
by deeply inhaling the toxic gases
found inside the sewers.
It is no coincidence
that the song in question
suggests exactly the method of suicide,
that is deliberate negligence
of safety norms and regulations
by which the deceased took his life.
According to this song,
giving up your life
is the one and only rational solution
for certain sections of the society
to gain dignity and respect.
Here, Narayan Kamble is openly
endorsing and encouraging an act
which is an offense under Section 309.
I would also like to bring to
the attention of the honorable court
that the accused has been
previously charged
under Dramatic Performances Act,
and has been sufficiently warned
to not perform any material
that is seditious in nature
or harmful to the general society.
In spite of these warnings, the accused
performed the dramatic piece in question
without the approval
of concerned censor authorities,
and with the deliberate intent
of causing harm,
inciting seditious sentiments,
and corrupting people
present at the performance.
If the accused is granted bail
for this non-bailable
and non-compoundable offense,
there is a risk that he will once again
commit the same offense,
as his track record shows
complete disregard
and disrespect for the court's orders.”
I'm done.
“According to the report filed
by the investigating officer,
the death of Vasudev Pawar
is assumed to be an act of suicide.
I would like to request the court
to review this conclusion critically
in the light of evidence that is
highly inconclusive and subjective.
As per Halsbury's Laws of England,
Fourth Edition, Ninth Volume, page 686,
a finding of suicide must be
on evidence of intention.
Every act of self-destruction is,
in common language,
described by the word 'suicide,'
provided it is an intentional act
of a party
knowing the probable consequence
of what he is about.
Suicide is never to be presumed.
Intention is the essential
legal ingredient.
To attract the ingredients of abetment,
the intention of the accused
to aid or instigate
or abet the deceased to commit suicide
is necessary.
In this case, let alone intention,
there is absolutely
no logical reason or motivation
as to why the accused
would abet the alleged suicide.”
As for the Dramatic Performances Act,
which my colleague cited
as grounds for rejecting bail,
Your Honor, it's a Victorian law
dating back to 1876,
and it's up to our judgment about
its relevance in a post-colonial country.
No, but this is not a valid argument.
It is the law, it is there.
“Secondly,
whether it was a dramatic performance
at all is also debatable,
because it was not a fictional
or a dramatized depiction of events.
In which case, whether it required
a censor certificate is a gray area.”
But he has already been charged
under this act in the past.
So whether
it's a dramatic performance or not
has already been decided
by the honorable court.
Yes, you are right.
That has already been proved.
That is not a valid point.
“Your Honor, there is not a single witness
in the charge sheet
who claims to have seen
such a song being performed.
There is also no documentary evidence
whatsoever
to support the claims of the police,
and the burden is on the prosecution
to prove its case.
I would sincerely request the court to
discharge my client at this stage itself,
and save him from further agony
of undergoing the trial.
In the alternative, I would request
Your Honor to grant him bail.”
Your Honor,
there is prima facie sufficient evidence
to frame the charge against the accused,
and I strongly oppose
the request for bail.
Note.
Heard.
Fit case to frame charges.
Bail plea is to be rejected.
Next hearing on 11th November.
Have a look at the other side
of the documents as well.
Why are you doing all this
on the dining table?
You didn't find any other place?
Where else to get hold of him?
I asked him to sign the papers,
he left them on the sofa.
But is this the place then?
The documents might get stained,
there is food next to it.
- Don't you have any sense?
- Tell him, don't tell me.
He has ignored this work
for many months now.
But I haven't been coming here
in the past few days.
And why exactly haven't you been coming?
Earlier at least you'd come on Sundays,
now you've stopped that as well.
Mom, don't bore me, I'm almost done here.
I tell you anything
and you reply with, “Don't bore me.”
For him it's all a joke.
He's getting everything on a platter,
so there's no value.
You'd promised I wouldn't have
to hear all this nonsense.
Don't talk about irrelevant things.
You're jumping from one thing to another.
Wow! Here I am taking your side
and you're fighting with me instead?
But why are you changing the topic?
What's the topic? There is no topic.
I'm getting late, I have to go.
Please just serve lunch.
Now are you going to vent
your anger over lunch?
Serve him quickly
or he will throw more tantrums.
- Yes, Subodh.
- Why are you instigating him again?
One minute, guys.
I'm talking on the phone!
Yes, Subodh.
Yes, I'll open the door.
Just come inside.
Mom, please open the door.
Come in.
Come, Subodh.
No, I'll sit here.
No, come join us for lunch.
Get a plate for him as well.
No, I just had lunch.
Please, it's just awkward otherwise. Come.
The guard didn't cause a problem, did he?
No, uncle, nothing.
The thing is the whole building is ours.
So if someone just mentions the name,
we have ordered him not to let them in.
If you say flat 308,
he'll let you right in.
Yeah, he told me to say 308.
- What's your name, son?
- Subodh Kushte.
- Are you Maharashtrian?
- Yes.
- Where is your hometown?
- Sutarwaadi.
Oh, this one I don't know.
Sorry about all this.
- We'll leave in five minutes.
- It's okay.
Are you his friend or client?
He's a friend.
Good, very good.
- You want some more curry?
- No, aunty, I'm fine.
You have come home for the first time,
we can't just let you go like that.
Son, does he have a girlfriend?
He doesn't tell us a thing at home.
Mom, have you gone mental?
Whenever we talk marriage,
he gets angry. See?
Are you out of your mind?
Have you gone mad?
I'm meeting this person
for the fourth time,
and you ask him
such ridiculous questions about me?
But didn't you just say
he's a close friend?
You have all gone mad!
At least finish your food.
Yes, everyone is mad,
you are the only smart one.
It's not right to leave
without eating your food.
- Let it be. He won't change.
- You please finish your food.
He'll wait for you downstairs.
He won't go without you.
- No, no, aunty.
- Please eat.
I'll come another time.
You shouldn't do this, son.
How many times have I told you!
You can't stop yourself
from instigating him.
Calm down. This is how he is.
He'll never change.
- Excuse me, where is room number 12?
- That side.
Thank you.
- Uncle, where is Vasudev's house?
- The fifth house from here.
Sister, which one is Vasudev's house?
You wanted to meet Vasudev, is it?
Yes, is that his house?
Yes, that's his house,
but there's no one there.
- Where have they gone?
- Vasudev died.
Yes, we know.
What about the rest of the family?
- They've gone to their hometown.
- Oh.
- Who all?
- His wife, two kids, and a brother too.
- The brother left as well?
- Yes, he did.
Anyway, he would be ill most of the time.
Did you have some work with him?
- Yes, wanted to meet him.
- We wanted to speak about Vasudev's death.
Yes, they had brought his body.
It was stinking so much
that no one was ready to touch it.
What had happened?
No one knew for sure.
Some people said that he must have
slipped in the sewer and died.
Some said he died
of an insect bite in the sewer.
- What did his family say?
- They also didn't know for sure.
He died,
and within two days,
his family left as well.
Did they say when they'll be returning?
No, they didn't.
- Shall I get you some water?
- No, no. I'm fine.
- You?
- No.
Thank you.
Let's go.
Thank you.
The next song is an old Portuguese song,
which I picked up from
a street musician in Brazil.
I hope you all enjoy it.
- You want to cross-examine him?
- Yes.
Begin.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Name?
Narayan Kamble.
- Age?
- Sixty-five years.
- What do you do for a living?
- I'm a folk singer.
I conduct tuitions for students
and a few workshops.
- What kind of workshops?
- For folk singers.
- Where do they take place?
- In Maharashtra, Jaitapur, Beed, Sangli.
Have you always done this,
or something else as well?
Excuse me, Your Honor.
Sorry for the interruption.
I would like to request my colleague
to converse either in Hindi or English.
Actually,
I'll be more comfortable in Marathi.
You don't worry, I'll translate it for you
if you don't understand anything.
I used to work in a mill.
Did you quit the job or did you retire?
The mill got shut down.
- Do you get any pension?
- No.
You write every month
for a periodical called Tilak, right?
Yes.
- So do you earn something from that?
- Just a token amount.
What about getting paid
for your performances?
No.
Who pays for the stage
and sound equipment then?
We don't always perform on stage.
Then where else?
On the roads, in slums, anywhere.
Are you associated
with any political or social group?
No, not in the last seven or eight years.
- So in the past you were, is it?
- Yes.
Which one?
Now there have been quite a few
over the years.
We have lots of time, tell us.
National Youth Party,
Dalit Progressive Movement,
Swaraj Mill Workers' Association.
Were you vice president
of the MFS party in 1976?
Yes.
You were accused of being
an internal security threat,
and an arrest warrant was issued
in your name, correct?
Yes.
After that, you went underground
for two years, correct?
Sir, I don't understand how something
that happened 30 years ago
is relevant to the case.
If he was not convicted on these charges,
I don't know why we are talking about it.
No, no. I think the court should know
the background of the accused.
Because of him, today somebody has died.
We need to know why these thoughts
are coming into his head.
Sir, my colleague is not bothered
about whether it really happened,
how it happened,
who saw it, where is the proof.
She's going directly into the “why” of it.
No, I am merely attempting to establish
the background of the accused.
If someone has a suspicious record
and criminal history,
then the court should know about it.
Let's move on now.
I have his records, I will look into them.
You talk about the case.
Okay, Your Honor.
Did you perform your show
on 21st August, 2012, in Sitladevi Nagar?
There wasn't really a show or anything.
- But you sang there, right?
- Yes.
Proceed.
Why did you decide
on that particular location?
There was no specific reason.
There was some open space there
and so we decided to perform there.
While performing, did you know
that you were standing right outside
Vasudev Pawar's house?
No.
- Did you know Vasudev Pawar?
- No.
Sukhdev, will you please
pass me that photo?
- Can you identify this man?
- No.
- Do you write all your songs yourself?
- Yes.
Have you ever written a song on suicide?
Yes.
Did you perform a song on suicide
on 21st August, 2012?
I don't remember.
That means you might have sung it?
Yes.
- Do you sing often on this theme?
- Yes.
So often that you don't remember
whether you sang it that day or not?
Yes.
Tell me this.
“Sewer workers,
all of us should commit suicide
by suffocating inside the sewers.”
Did you perform a song
with this theme on that day?
No.
Okay, then have you written
such a song ever?
Not yet.
So you might?
You don't mind writing such a song?
No.
We are not joking here,
you are standing in a court.
All of this is going on record.
- Did you understand what he said just now?
- Yes, I did, Your Honor.
Note.
The accused is claiming that although
he has never written
or performed such a song yet,
he doesn't mind doing it either.
This is tough.
I love your sari. It's very pretty.
Isn't it?
And it's comfortable because it's cotton.
What happened is,
I saw it on display in a store,
I liked it so much
that I immediately bought it.
Where is the time
to go shopping otherwise?
Anyway, the markets are so crowded.
True. You really can't decide what to buy.
- So, what about tonight's dinner?
- The same, I'll have to go home and cook.
Since my mister was diagnosed
with diabetes,
we have cut down on oily and sweet foods.
Obviously, the kids whine sometimes,
“Why do we have to suffer?” and all.
But once it's there,
you're tempted to eat.
Yes, true.
In our house, we don't have any illnesses,
but I'm still careful.
For the bread,
they have this multi-grain flour now.
I've started using that. Let's see.
But does it taste good?
You can't make out the difference.
And it's good for health.
Even Vaibhavi was telling me, “Mummy,
we should use olive oil, it's better.”
It's better, but so expensive.
If we use it every day, we'll go bankrupt.
But the one they sell on TV
didn't seem that expensive.
Oh, don't buy the one on TV.
So many people told me
that they got duped.
- Not worth it.
- Yeah.
These days it's hard to trust anybody.
Tara, ma'am?
Yes, one minute.
Rohan, your mother's here!
- Did he have lunch?
- Yes, he did.
Take your water bottle.
- Bye.
- Bye.
- See you.
- Bye.
Don't drag the bottle.
What's your homework for today?
I have to write an essay
on the kite festival in English
and an essay on the New Year in Marathi.
- What about math?
- No homework for math.
- This way.
- Why this way?
We have to go towards the station.
Have to pick up groceries.
Hmm.
But I had warned her, don't trust anyone.
Now she regrets it.
Ultimately, they are not blood relatives.
No, why do you need to say anything?
You don't get involved in this.
You tell them, “Get your papers in order
and then I will sign.”
Sure, I'll have a look at them.
Yes, call me tomorrow.
Okay, okay. Bye.
The salad is ready.
Enough.
- You want some more gravy?
- No.
It's not good?
Son, why don't you eat
while the bread is still hot?
I'll have it later, let Dad finish.
- What about you?
- Get me rice.
We're building a Hanuman temple
in our neighborhood.
They're celebrating the Hanuman festival.
I'm not taking part in the organization,
but I'm encouraging the youngsters.
At least that way they will get together.
Let's see how it goes.
- You want some?
- No, thank you.
Okay, I need to get going.
- Which case today?
- That Narayan Kamble one.
- Who's the judge? Mr. Sadavarte?
- Yes.
He's very sharp.
All that's fine, but he should
quickly pass the judgment now.
But Sadavarte's speed is fast.
Now, these judges like
Gaonkar, Sarpotdar, etc.,
their speed is hardly three,
three and a half cases per day.
But I've heard Sadavarte clocked in
five cases per day last year.
But things still take
their own sweet time.
For example,
take this Narayan Kamble case.
Simply throw him in jail for 20 years
and finish the matter.
The same faces, the same stories,
it's boring.
Madam wants to see new faces every day.
Let's make her a judge soon.
Oh, please do. God bless.
Have both your witnesses
come today at least?
Only one has come.
- What about the other?
- He's ill.
Okay, you can start.
State your name and age.
Shankar Bhoir, 41.
- What is your occupation?
- I am a tailor.
Did you see Narayan Kamble
on the day stated in the report?
Yes, I saw him. He was singing.
- Where?
- In Andheri East, near JB Colony.
Do you mean Sitladevi Nagar?
Yes.
What were you doing there?
I had gone to meet my brother.
Tell us about his songs.
What was he singing?
He was singing.
The content was very obscene.
- And?
- And“.
He was screaming and yelling.
- What was he saying?
- He was saying,
“Die, die. Let's drown in the sewers,
let's all die,” things like that.
Was he talking about
any specific person or community?
Objection, Your Honor.
She is clearly leading the witness.
She is feeding him the location,
she is telling him what to say.
No, no, I am not leading him anywhere.
All this is already mentioned
in his statement.
You just ask him the questions,
don't say anything else.
Okay.
So tell us in detail, what was he saying
and who was he referring to.
He was saying...
He was talking about some workers.
- Was this man present at the event?
- Yes.
At least give it a good look.
Look at it carefully.
Yes.
- Do you remember seeing him for sure?
- Yes.
Note.
Witness Shankar Bhoir heard
Narayan Kamble perform a song,
where he roused workers to give up
their lives by drowning in the sewers.
The witness also saw
Vasudev Pawar attending this show.
When will your other witness
come to court?
I'll bring him next time.
He's been sick the whole month?
Yes, sir. But next time,
I'll get him for sure.
Okay, I'll give the next date then.
January 9th.
- Fine with you?
- Yes.
“Case number 375, Mercy Fernandes.”
- Your case will not be heard today.
- Why, sir?
You have come wearing a sleeveless top
to the court hearing.
This is against
the code of conduct in court.
Only modest dressing
and sober colors are allowed.
This isn't allowed in court.
Please reconsider, sir.
No, it's against the rules.
“Case number 376, Santosh Waghmare.”
Is it spicy?
Chew properly.
- Got the tickets?
- Yes, we did.
- Good seats?
- Yes.
Next time, we'll come to see
this children's play.
- Okay, when is it?
- On Sunday.
- What time is it?
-11:00 a.m.
Dad! What are you doing?
Relax! Please sit here.
I'll explain everything to you.
Just sit here for a moment.
Dad, I've decided to get married.
With this man?
Of course not! This is the father.
- Prem?
- Yes, darling?
Can you come out for a minute?
The bride will be taken
Taken home by the North Indians
What are you doing? Shut up.
This is my father.
Prem.
Sit here, son.
Jasmine oil in your hair.
Dear, son.
You call my daughter “darling.”
At least tell me your full name.
- Prem Chaubey...
- Chaubal!
Where do you stay?
- Bareilly...
- Borivali!
- Who all are there in your family?
- Mom, dad, bro.
-“Bro!”
- Whoa!
Mom, dad, brother.
And what do you do for a living?
- Snacks vendor.
- Catering!
He's done engineering in catering.
Do one thing, Meenu.
Go inside and make tea for all of us.
Move, move.
You go with her too. Brew some exotic tea.
Quickly, quickly.
Come.
You immigrants!
First, you took our jobs from us.
Then you took away our land.
And now you want our daughters as well?
Get lost!
Get lost! Go!
These immigrants tend to mistake our grace
for our weakness.
But if pushed,
this Marathi man can easily show them
who is the boss in this city.
How did Narayan Kamble's name
come up in your investigation?
We had gone to Vasudev's house
for inquiry,
that's when someone mentioned it.
Mentioned what?
That two days ago,
Narayan Kamble had performed the song,
after which Vasudev committed suicide.
Who told you this?
Someone called Nilesh Tawde, he told us.
Then, we got Shankar Bhoir as a witness.
Nilesh Tawde lives in the same slum?
Yes, he lives there
and he knew Vasudev Pawar.
Then why isn't Nilesh Tawde's statement
included in the report?
We had recorded the statement,
but later he withdrew it.
Yes, he withdrew it,
but where is the statement?
That we'll have to look for.
How does that make sense?
- Why didn't you submit the old statement?
- I'll look into the matter.
When is that man coming to court?
- I'll get him next time.
- Then what do we do till then?
No old statement, no new statement,
and no sign of the person either.
Should we keep waiting
on this one case for years?
No, no, I'll do something.
Continue.
Thank you, Your Honor.
So tell me.
Someone told you
that Vasudev heard Narayan's song,
then how did you go about investigating?
We went to Narayan Kamble's house
and conducted a search.
- Was he present at home?
- No.
Then how did you enter?
His granddaughter was there.
Did you have a search warrant?
No.
Your Honor, the search conducted
at my client's house was illegal.
The investigating officer
did not have a search warrant,
and the search was conducted
in the presence of a minor,
who was alone in the house.
How can you presume
the suspect will not co-operate?
You've been given
the police procedure manual, right?
- Yes.
- Then what's the point of it?
- You are right.
- And what about the Ashwin Bhagat letter?
- Do you want to question him about that?
- Yes, Your Honor.
Have you read the letter?
Yes.
Can you tell us
what is written in the letter?
Ashwin Bhagat had written it
from inside Arthur Road Jail.
Yes, but what had he written?
In that,
Ashwin Bhagat had abused the jail
superintendent and other police officials.
Abused them or complained about them?
- The same thing.
- And?
There was mention of a plan.
These people were going to do something
in the city.
Who exactly?
Ashwin Bhagat, Narayan Kamble,
and their associates.
Your Honor, I have a translated version
of the letter here with me.
In the letter, Mr. Bhagat
is requesting my client
to take care of his ailing mother
while he is in jail.
I don't see what illegal activity
or planning the officer is talking about.
No, but these people are smart.
They write in code language.
- What do you mean by “these people”?
- I mean extremists.
Who told you
Narayan Kamble is an extremist?
Not Narayan Kamble, but Ashwin Bhagat
definitely is. That has been proven.
Okay, so what have they written
in code language?
That we can't figure out right now.
Ashwin Bhagat has a proven record
of doing such things.
We've given the letter
to the Intelligence Department.
They will find out.
When will they find out?
It will at least take a month, sir.
We will talk about it then.
What's the point of shooting in the dark?
You want to continue?
No, I'm done, sir.
Okay.
I'll take your leave, sir.
And what about those books?
Your Honor, 40 books were seized
from Narayan Kamble's residence.
Out of that, two are banned
by the government and illegal to own.
One is a manuscript called Goymar Manas
by Saint Kashinath, written in 1899.
The other is a book called The Lotus
and the Robot by Arthur Koestler.
Sir, I must tell you,
The Lotus and the Robot
is about oriental yoga,
and Goymar Manas is about
the history of the Goymari sect.
Goymar Manas is banned because
it hurts the sentiments of Goymari people
and is considered to be offensive.
What are you saying?
Why don't you speak in English?
It is considered to be very offensive.
Sir, the book was banned
over 110 years ago,
and in its time, it was considered
a very accurate critique
of some regressive Goymari practices.
It may be regressive for you,
but for them, it is still sacred.
Yes, but it is still
harmful and irrational.
Your Honor, how can he say that?
This is very insulting.
How is this insulting?
Stop this discussion please.
I will see what to do about the books.
Take the next date.
January 25th.
Did you face problems
with the customs officials?
I did, Daddy. I told Mummy,
they confiscated her phone...
- I don't know a thing.
- I didn't tell him anything.
It was very problematic.
They took away Mummy's phone.
- Oh, very good.
- What very good?
- We lost Mom's phone and...
- Yes, but why ask for it?
I didn't tell him you bought the things
or that they got confiscated.
Good he didn't know.
He takes pleasure in these things.
Moreover, they confiscated
Uncle Magan's daughter's gifts.
That's why I don't order anything
from abroad.
Everything is available in India.
No need to import.
But relatives don't understand.
Mummy is okay.
You didn't ask me for anything
because you understand.
But this Uncle Magan's daughter doesn't.
Kept calling me all the time
and if I don't answer, she'd leave
messages on the answering machine,
“Get me an iPad.”
They think it's like traveling
in local trains.
No customs to deal with.
Get him! Don't let him go.
Get him!
How dare you insult the Goymari sect!
Blacken his face!
All hail the Goymari sect!
Long live the Goymari people!
Madam, it's getting late now.
No, they've just arrived. We can start.
Sit.
Proceed.
Your Honor, I would like to call
Sharmila Vasudev Pawar,
wife of Vasudev Dnyanesh Pawar,
to the stand.
Permission granted.
Come.
Where were you all these days?
In my hometown.
Where is your hometown?
Shiknapur.
Why did you leave?
Your husband died,
there was a police case.
After the autopsy,
no one claimed the body either.
When did you return?
Last week.
How did you find her?
The neighbors informed her
that we were looking for her.
Then her brother-in-law
brought her to the station.
Why did you leave for the village?
Because I was...
What? Because you were what?
Because I was scared.
Who did you go with?
With my brother-in-law and daughter.
Now don't leave without informing us
till the case is done.
- Ask what you have to.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
- State your name and age.
- Sharmila Pawar.
- Age?
- I don't know.
- Still, approximately?
- Thirty.
For how many years were you married
to Vasudev Pawar?
Seven.
From the time you got married,
did Vasudev always clean sewers?
Yes.
Meaning he was used to this job?
During these years,
there were no accidents or injuries
while doing the job, right?
He had lost one eye.
- How?
- Don't know.
Was it an accident while working
or something went into his eye
or something like that?
No.
So there was no accident
while on the job, right?
It was not as if he had ever
slipped inside
or carelessly entered the sewers, right?
Okay. Now tell me,
how was your husband's mental condition?
As in?
As in would he be happy or sad
or how would he be?
He would be okay.
He would be okay?
- He wouldn't fight or anything?
- Yes, he would.
- Would he ever beat you?
- Sometimes he would.
- Would he beat the kids?
- Yes.
Okay, now tell me,
did he ever talk to you about suicide?
- No.
- No?
Then did he ever mention a song
or anything of that sort?
No? Okay.
How about a person,
someone called Narayan Kamble?
- Did he ever mention him?
- No.
Sir, what is happening?
She is leading the witness.
I'm not leading her anywhere.
Okay, move on.
Now tell me,
do you remember any person or group
performing something outside your house?
I don't know.
Are you sure or are you just
saying “no, no” for everything?
I can't remember.
Your Honor, I think she is nervous
and not able to recollect any details.
I request another date for questioning.
Okay.
Do you want to ask her anything right now
or next time only?
Your Honor, I have a few questions
I want to ask her,
but only if she is okay with it.
He is going to ask you
a few more questions.
Is that okay?
Proceed.
When your husband would go to work,
would he wear something
to cover his mouth, eyes?
No.
Gum boots or a mask or something?
No.
- Then how would he enter the sewers?
- He would just enter.
But isn't it full of dirt
and stench inside?
Yes, but he would look for cockroaches.
As in?
As in, he would throw pebbles
inside the sewer,
and if a cockroach or a bug came out,
he knew it was safe to go in.
How do you know this?
Sometimes he would come home and say,
“The cockroach didn't come out today,
so it's a holiday.”
What would he use to clean the sewer?
Anything like a spade or a rod.
Wasn't he given anything else?
No.
Just now, you said he had lost an eye.
How did that happen?
We couldn't know exactly.
The doctor said it was because
of the dirt that went in his eye.
- Because of entering the sewers?
- Yes.
Isn't he leading the witness now?
Please, please don't do this.
Okay.
- Did he consume alcohol?
- Yes.
- How many times a week?
- Every day.
- Before work or after work?
- Before work.
Why?
To bear the stench of the sewer.
Thank you.
Your Honor.
No safety equipment was ever provided
to Vasudev Pawar.
He had to rely on alcohol
to stand the stench in the gutters.
And he had no reliable way of knowing
if there was enough oxygen inside
for him to go in.
Also, he had already lost an eye
due to an infection caused
by the poisonous gases.
Note.
The deceased...
was not provided
with any safety equipment.
This is as per his wife's statement.
This may have led to the loss...
of an eye during work.
Please wear the seat belt.
On your left. There.
I should drop you
at Sitladevi Nagar, right?
Yes.
How many times will I have to come
to the court like this?
Maybe once or twice more.
I don't have much work as it is.
If I have to keep coming here,
I'll lose whatever I have in hand.
When I left for my village,
I lost all my work here.
If there's some work for me,
please let me know.
Yes, I will.
I'm ready to work anywhere.
If you need some money,
then I can arrange for it.
No, I don't want money.
Just let me know if there's work for me.
Okay.
Your Honor, according to the autopsy
report submitted by the hospital,
“The cause of death
in the case of Vasudev Pawar
was respiratory failure due to inhalation
of the poisonous gas hydrogen sulfide,
that was found inside his lungs
in an excessive amount.
There is a possibility
that the oxygen levels in his body
had dropped below six percent,
resulting in unconsciousness
or a state of coma before dying.
No injury marks or physical wounds
were found on his body,
and there were no signs
of internal bleeding.
The report suggests that
the victim was in a heavily
inebriated state at the time of death,
and a significant amount of alcohol
was found in the victim's bloodstream.
This negates the possibility
of a pre-meditated suicide
and indicates an accidental death.
No suicide letter has been found,
or any witness in whom the victim
had confided about giving up his life.”
Madam,
your case has become very weak.
The only witness you have
is Shankar Bhoir.
Sir, I have a point
to make about that also.
Your Honor,
Shankar Bhoir is a stock witness.
He has served as an eyewitness
in four other cases in the last two years.
They are State vs Mohammed Aslam,
State vs Gajendra Kamat,
State vs Krutika Modi.
And in all four cases, including this one,
the investigating officer
happens to be the same,
Pradeep Shelke.
I have no idea about this, Your Honor.
I will look into this matter.
Please do so.
Proceed.
Apart from that single witness,
Your Honor,
there is no conclusive evidence
linking my client's performance
to the death of Vasudev Pawar.
In strong defense of my client
are the statements given
by his troupe members,
Subodh Kushte, Sachin Jadhav,
Pallavi Sonar, and Vidya Sawant,
who claim that they had no knowledge
of the song in question
ever being written or performed
by the accused.
Most importantly, Sharmila Pawar, wife
of Vasudev Pawar, has testified in court
that her husband had not expressed
any intention of committing suicide,
nor did she know of any circumstances
that would lead him to such an act.
If anything, her statement
only strengthened the possibility
of the death being an accident
caused under the influence of alcohol
and negligence of safety norms.
Your Honor, I would sincerely request you
to grant my client bail,
and also take into consideration his age,
as medical reports show his health
has been deteriorating severely.
Bail granted.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Set at 100,000 rupees. Cash only...
without sureties.
Your Honor, I'm not sure if my client
can arrange for such a high amount.
He has jumped bail in previous cases.
Amount cannot be lowered.
Case number 187, Abbas Ali Ansari.
What's written in this?
You have to report every week
at the Sitladevi Nagar Police Station.
You can't leave the city
and you can't change your residence.
- Who paid the bail?
- He did.
- Then arrange for paying it back.
- Yes, I will see.
Why did you pay so much money?
We would have arranged something.
Now this case is going to go on for years.
Pay me when you can.
But still...
Here.
Why so many pills?
I just took some an hour ago.
They said take these again.
I have no idea what medicines
they are asking me to take.
Really?
The doctor asked him to take an injection.
He's refusing that, which is why
he has to take all these pills.
- Why is he refusing?
- He's scared of injections.
I'm not scared, I just don't like it.
Are injections meant to be liked?
- Have the reports come in?
- Yes, they have.
His blood pressure has shot up
and he has a fever as well.
Doctors are saying it could be jaundice.
Nana, please lie low
for the next few days.
Otherwise,
they will cancel the bail again.
Don't just say, “Hmm.”
Listen to what he is saying.
If they arrest you again and something
goes wrong in jail, what will we do?
What's the point of being so scared?
We will see what happens.
But all of us get affected.
Nana, I'll take your leave now.
You please rest.
Subodh, come out.
I'll be back.
How blessed you are, O Lord!
How blessed you are, O Lord
With love that's infinity
Lots of pity, lots of empathy
Hymns are sung about your courage
But this is a ballad of your kindness
I present this ballad of gratitude
So listen to this ballad of gratitude
O Lord
How you wield the sword
That stabs the heart
That smashes all life!
O Lord, our master
O Lord, our master
With one shot of your gun
The best of people are downed
Down in the dumps!
O Lord, our master
O Lord, our master
Yet you did not muffle me
Showed the courtesy to try me in court
How you rendered a favor onto me
0, how you rendered a favor to me
Amidst all this noise about the arts
Truth has lost its voice
Art is your hogwash
A deception in the name of aesthetics
Screams from the funeral pyre
Cannot be called a performance
We will genuinely be obliged
If you do not label us artists
And now for tonight's last item.
Dance performance of under-15 girls.
Big round of applause!
A HISTORY OF HUMILIATION
BY NARAYAN KAMBLE
Mr. Kadam.
Hand over these papers to him.
You don't have to come now.
We will let you know if we need you.
Case number 535,
Paanchpada Police Station,
Narayan Kamble.
Three days' police custody.
“Case number 536,
Paanchpada Police Station,
Amit Sawant.”
Proceed.
“The accused, Narayan Kamble,
is charged under Section 124-A
of the Indian Penal Code
that is, The Unlawful Activities
Prevention Act, 1967,
The Unlawful Activities Prevention
Amendment Act, 2008,
and Section 151, Indian Penal Code, 1860.
He has been found to conduct
seditious camps
indoctrinating state youth members
in various areas
such as Beed, Sangli,
Mumbai, and Jaitapur.
These camps have been operating
under the cover of workshops
for folk artists and poets.
Evidence has been found in the form
of exchanged correspondence,
poems, songs, and manuscripts,
that these camps have very little to do
with the folk culture of the state,
and are instead
vehicles of organizing meetings
for potentially dangerous individuals.
According to the police investigations,
the key members involved
in helping Narayan Kamble
conducting these workshops are
Subodh Kushte, Swati Shirke,
Vikas Saraf, and Anand Jadhav.
All the above mentioned people
have several cases filed against them
in various parts of the state,
and are known
to be associated with outfits
that have been termed
as terrorist organizations
by the Government of India.
The police investigation further states
that many of the so-called artists,
who have been trained under the accused,
have been responsible
for violent protests, property damage,
and even attacking police officials
in the above mentioned areas.
Narayan Kamble has been
previously booked under
Dramatic Performances Act, 1857,
and has been warned
to not perform, write, teach,
or publish any material
that is seditious in nature.
According to UAPA Amendment Act, 2008,
a person can be charged if he does
any act with the intent to threaten,
or likely to threaten,
the unity, integrity,
security, or sovereignty of India,
or with the intent to strike terror,
or likely to strike terror,
in the people or
any section of the people in India,
or in any foreign country,
by using bombs, dynamite,
or other explosive substances,
or inflammable substances,
or firearms, or other lethal weapons,
or poisons, or noxious gases,
or other chemicals,
or by any other substances,
whether biological, radioactive, nuclear,
or otherwise, of a hazardous nature,
or by any other means
of whatever nature, or likely to cause,
a) Death of, or injuries to,
any person or persons,
or, b) Loss of, or damage to,
or destruction of, property,
or, c) Disruption of supplies or services
essential to the life
of the community in India,
or in any foreign country.”
Sir, where is the bomb?
Where are the lethal weapons?
No, no. “Bomb, or chemical,
or by any other means
of whatever nature,” includes anything.
That is not the point.
What is the intent?
“The intent is to threaten,
or likely to threaten,
the unity, integrity, security,
or sovereignty of India.”
Your Honor, my client claims
that the charges against him
are completely fabricated,
including the evidence
submitted by the police.
Now it is a very serious
and convenient accusation.
The inspector has authorized permission
for arrest from his department chief.
Sir, but there is not enough evidence.
I've already submitted
my client's medical reports.
There is a severe risk to his health
if he's in prison
for such a long duration.
I request you to grant him bail.
The police has charged UAPA.
How can I grant him bail
when there is no bail provision only?
Sir, today is the last
working day in court.
It will be a violation
of my client's fundamental rights
if he will be placed in judicial custody
for an entire month,
without being proven guilty.
No, no, the summer vacation from tomorrow
is for Sessions Court only.
You can still go to the High Court.
Accused to be remanded...
in judicial custody...
and to be produced in court...
on 7th July.
- Is that all?
- Yes.
Court is adjourned for the day.
Is everyone here?
Everyone's luggage is in place?
- Come ahead.
- I don't think they heard you.
Come, we're almost ready to leave.
- Everyone ready?
- Yes.
All hail Lord Ganesha!
All hail Lord Ganesha!
Abhijeet had come home, he told me
you've started your own consultancy firm.
Yes. Got my business cards printed.
For the time being, I will juggle
between my job and the consultancy.
Let's see what happens.
That means you're not quitting your job?
- No.
- Very good.
What are the doctors saying about him?
Nothing clear yet.
We have recently found a new therapist.
Let's wait and watch.
Is he still not speaking at all?
No, he does say words
like “Ma,” “Pa,” etc.
But not complete sentences.
Let's see what this new therapist does.
What about school?
No school for now.
He can't sit in one place for too long.
He's very restless.
These speech therapists and all are fine,
but I've said this before
and I'm saying it again,
you must change his name.
There's a problem with his name.
Show him to a good numerologist
and get an opinion.
- Understood?
- Yes.
And I will give you one more tip.
There is a gemstone called Hessonite.
Yes.
Make him wear a Hessonite ring
on his middle finger.
- Tell me if he doesn't start talking soon.
- Okay.
- Just try this.
- We'll try this as well.
You need to take advantage
of these phenomena.
42. Anybody got 42?
- Anyone hit the middle or bottom line?
- Bingo!
Has anyone got it?
Are you guys paying attention?
44.
Remember, when we went there last time.
We had fish there.
Really. It was very fresh.
There was a lot of originality.
It makes a difference in the taste
if the fish is fresh. A lot of difference.
Hot off the stove...
There is a difference in the taste.
- The water also matters.
- Yes. Water makes a difference.
- From fresh water...
- Yes, fresh water makes a difference.
Because... what we eat here in the village
and in the city, that's so different.
- The taste is different.
- And we eat a lot more at a picnic.
What's happening is
this growth in salary is seen
only in a few sectors.
For example, the IT industry.
- Right?
- Yes.
- There is also an MBA.
- Yes, that's the same.
If you have a degree from llM Ahmedabad
or IIM Bangalore,
the minute you graduate,
you get a salary of 4,00,000 rupees.
- Per year?
- Per month!
Yes. 4,00,000 per month, in-hand.
That's ten million a year.
Just a day before,
I read an article in Times of India.
The students who topped,
they got a package
of 8,00,000 rupees. 800,000!
What is going on? Get lost! Go!
Bloody idiots!
On the creepers, the flowers
It laughs gently, the butterfly
Tiny, colorful wings
It sways and swings, the butterfly
Her small eyes, shimmer and shine
Like rounded gems, the butterfly
I try to catch her, alas
She flutters away, the butterfly”
All right.
Jagruti, fill in the blanks.
“Dash” is the largest state in India.
Rajasthan.
“Dash” is the largest continent
in the world.
Asia.
“Dash” is the longest river in India.
Narmada.
Wrong, Brahmaputra.
Sorry, Brahmaputra.
“Dash” is the oldest mountain range
in India.
Don't forget to do your homework.
Yes, I'm coming. Arriving in five minutes.
WADGAON MASSACRE
CULTURAL PROTEST MEET
Thank you, Miratai.
And now coming to perform for us
is the people's poet, Narayan Kamble.
Listen, brother!
Oh, brother
My dear brother
Pandemonium is here
Time to rise and revolt
Time to know your enemy
Time to know your enemy
Tough times are here
We're uprooted from our soil
This era of blindness
Has gouged our eyes
A gent appears a crook
An owl resembles a peacock
A giant becomes babyish
A baby turns into a giant
- The good ones are forgotten
- The good-for-nothings praised
The enemy...
The enemy is all-destructive
Yet we sing his praise
Time to know your enemy
Time to know your enemy
Satan is black-and-white
Your life trapped in his vice
Color is his weapon of choice
As death raises its voice
Colors play a game of dice
The rules are divisive
Humanity is in its cage
It burns, it disintegrates
Colors that multicolor
Colors that discolor
The color, it breaks
Now it looks fake
You are stupefied
How much will you forsake?
These dense jungles
These rusty jungles
Religious jungles
Casteist jungles
Racist jungles
Nationalist jungles
- On this deathly night
- We lose all our senses
Hands bruised and burnt
Hands bruised and burnt
Get a gift of boiling wax
Time to know your enemy
Time to know your enemy
The delusion of illusion
Money, it reigns supreme
Has turned man into a mongrel
This mongrel has 17 breeds
The blood is infested with hunger
Will this hunger be content, ever?
The search for happiness is on
But all directions are blurred
- This razzle dazzle
- Yes, brother
- This razzmatazz
- Yes, brother
- This scam sham
- Yes, brother
- These fancy malls
- Yes, brother
- Free for all
- Yes, brother
- This great fall
- Yes, brother
Scam sham, huge malls
Great Fall, Great Fall
Malady and gluttony
Gluttony and malady
What's going on? Stop this!
Where do I find Pradeep Shelke?
There, in that room.
- Pradeep Shelke?
- There.
One minute, please.
Can you fill the rest of the form outside?
Okay, sir. But please look into it.
I will.
- Hello, sir.
- Hello.
Have a seat.
Tell me.
I wanted to speak to you
about Narayan Kamble's arrest.
Are you his relative?
No. His lawyer.
- What is your name?
- Vinay Vora. Can we meet him?
No, we've sent him to Jogeshwari.
We don't have a holding cell here.
- You are the investigating officer, right?
- Yes.
On what charges was he arrested?
Didn't you tell him? He was right there.
What did you tell us?
You didn't tell us anything.
No, I told him.
I had gone with the warrant.
- Can I see the warrant?
- Sure. One minute.
Here.
Abetment of suicide?
Who committed suicide?
A man from the Sitladevi slums.
Who?
A sewer worker called Vasudev.
Oh?
Just last week,
Narayan Kamble and his boys
had performed in that very slum.
- Am I right?
- Yes.
In one of his songs,
Kamble incited all sewer workers
to commit suicide.
No, he didn't say anything of that sort.
That's what you're saying.
But we've received complaints,
we've got orders for his arrest.
Okay. Then?
Then what? Two days later,
that man went down the sewer and died.
But it could be an accident.
No, it's a clear case of suicide.
We don't make arrests without proof.
What proof? Show it to us.
There's no point arguing here.
We'll talk about this later.
Exactly. Tomorrow you can ask the judge.
Okay, sir. Here.
Okay.
- How about some tea?
- No, sir.
Okay.
Thank you.
Everyone clear the way.
Move along.
Good morning, ma'am. What do you need?
Notary, stamp duty, affidavit?
I'll do it all.
Your next date is September 5th.
Sir, I have to go to my hometown
in September.
In that case, take a date in October.
- October 13th, okay?
- Okay.
Thank you, sir.
Case number 133,
Radhanagar Police Station, Bankim Shah.
Note.
Stolen watch reported.
The plaintiff claims that
the watch has been stolen by his neighbor.
Proceed.
- Sir, I want to cross-examine him.
- Okay.
- State your name.
- Bankim Shah.
When did you realize
that your watch has been stolen?
Our family had gone out of town.
When we came back, we realized
someone had cut the window grill.
Why didn't you inform
the police about that?
I did, ask him.
- Had he mentioned it?
- Yes, he had.
Note down.
He had gone out for a week,
and when he came back,
he saw the grill was cut,
and the watch was stolen.
Forget the “he informed the police” bit,
that's not necessary.
Proceed.
Why do you think Rakesh Shukla
stole your watch?
Two weeks after the robbery,
someone in the neighborhood
saw him wearing the same watch.
But can't he own a similar watch?
How do you know it's your watch?
The watch is not from here.
A relative had gifted it to me.
He got it from America.
Note.
Someone from their neighborhood saw
Rakesh Shukla wearing the same watch,
and the watch was a gift from America.
Proceed.
But my client can also buy
a watch from America, right?
Please read the report carefully.
He has submitted the bill,
the serial number of the watch.
Yes, but can't he also buy a watch?
Yes, but how can he buy a watch
with the same serial number?
It says here that the serial number is
matching with that of the recovered watch.
How does it matter?
The serial number
can be of the product itself.
What are you saying?
How can the serial number match?
How can there be just one serial number?
We need to look into that, sir.
We need to find out
more details of the product.
You do one thing,
take a date for the next month.
November 12th.
Till then, investigate all you want.
That's exactly what I was saying, sir.
Thank you.
“Case number 134,
Sitladevi Police Station, Narayan Kamble.”
How can I assign bail?
These are all non-bailable offenses.
Sir, I request you to use your discretion
and grant conditional bail to my client.
No, no, I can't do it.
Sir, if you wish, you can put restrictions
on his further performances.
No, no. This is a Sessions Court case.
Twelve days judicial custody
for the accused.
Case number 135...
One minute, one minute.
What about these people?
They were traveling
in the handicapped compartment of a train.
- Do you all plead guilty?
- Yes, we do.
Okay, fine them 500 rupees each
and let them go.
Don't do this again.
Move. Move.
Come on.
MUMBAI PRESS ASSOCIATION
So I will conclude by saying that
if our constitution believes
in the right to life,
then it is the single most violated right.
Because the conditions being created today
are not suitable for survival.
There is another word for such conditions,
but I will not use that word.
Otherwise,
I will be arrested for sedition.
Thank you, thank you very much.
Satyajit, thank you so much
for sharing your experiences with us.
That was very insightful
and also very disturbing.
Next, we have advocate Vinay Vora.
He is a practicing criminal lawyer,
who specializes in criminal justice
and human rights.
He is also one of the founding members
of a legal center called Nidaan.
- Ninaad.
- Ninaad, I am sorry.
Good evening, everyone.
Today, I would like to talk to you
about the Mohsin Parvez case,
or rather multiple cases
in which I have been defending him
for the last five years.
Mohsin was first arrested in June 2007,
in connection with
the Kalyan bomb blast case.
Now, the police doesn't have
any conclusive evidence
and they've rounded up 30-odd suspects,
based on...
Well, we know what.
Mohsin has four alibi witnesses
from his workplace.
So we fight the case, we manage
to get a clean chit by the courts,
and Mohsin is released from jail.
Now, two weeks later,
he is re-arrested from his home
on three entirely new charges.
We file a habeas corpus petition,
we manage to secure bail,
and the cases go on for two years.
Now it's April 2010.
Mohsin is finally being released
by the courts without a single conviction.
On the day of his release,
he is stepping out of the jail,
and the moment he steps out,
they arrest him again.
Now, I asked the arresting officer
on what charges is he being arrested,
and they blurted some random charges,
and before we knew it,
they had just taken him away.
At that point, we realized that there was
nothing we could do to stop the arrest.
Now...
What is to be noted here
is that this is the same modus operandi
used with Vijay Ghagre in Girjagiri,
Chandan Shirke in Malwapur,
and countless others.
Interrogation sessions lasting
12-14 hours at a stretch...
One minute, sir.
All of us have been there.
Where are the leaders?
A hundred and twenty thousand people.
Out of every single session.
This is the problem with all...
- Foreign festival.
- Exactly.
Again this is... I'm sorry.
Proceed.
“The accused, Narayan Kamble, age 65,
is charged under Indian Penal Code,
Section 306.
Abetment of suicide,
in the death of Vasudev Pawar, age 25,
who was a worker under contract with
the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
The deceased person committed suicide
on the night of 24th August, 2012,
by choking himself to death inside a sewer
located at Ram Vilas Road, Andheri East.
The police,
after its thorough investigation,
concluded in its report
that it was a clear case of suicide.
No manhole worker,
with an experience of doing the job
for five years, like the deceased,
would go inside the sewers without any
kind of protection to eyes, nose, or skin.
These workers are fully aware of
the various hazardous gases
that breed inside the sewers,
and know that they can lead
to instant death
if proper precaution is not taken.
When the dead body of the deceased
was recovered from the sewer,
no safety equipment was found near him
even after searching for many hours.
No wounds, injuries, or signs of struggle
were found on Vasudev Pawar's body,
nor did the postmortem show
any other cause for death,
other than the poisonous gases
which were inhaled.
According to Section 306,
if any person commits suicide,
whoever abets the commission
of such suicide
shall be punished with imprisonment
of either description for a term
which may extend to 10 years
and shall also be liable to fine.
There is sufficient evidence collected
through police investigation,
as presented to Your Honor,
that the suicide of Vasudev Pawar
was provoked by
a performance of accused party,
Narayan Kamble and his troupe,
that took place at Sitladevi Nagar
on 21st August,
is the locality in which
the deceased resided,
and was seen in attendance of
the performance in question.
It should be noted
that the suicide took place
just two days after the performance.
As the statement of an eyewitness,
who is willing to testify
in this honorable court,
there was one song performed
by the accused,
which coaxed and encouraged
manhole workers to commit suicide
by deeply inhaling the toxic gases
found inside the sewers.
It is no coincidence
that the song in question
suggests exactly the method of suicide,
that is deliberate negligence
of safety norms and regulations
by which the deceased took his life.
According to this song,
giving up your life
is the one and only rational solution
for certain sections of the society
to gain dignity and respect.
Here, Narayan Kamble is openly
endorsing and encouraging an act
which is an offense under Section 309.
I would also like to bring to
the attention of the honorable court
that the accused has been
previously charged
under Dramatic Performances Act,
and has been sufficiently warned
to not perform any material
that is seditious in nature
or harmful to the general society.
In spite of these warnings, the accused
performed the dramatic piece in question
without the approval
of concerned censor authorities,
and with the deliberate intent
of causing harm,
inciting seditious sentiments,
and corrupting people
present at the performance.
If the accused is granted bail
for this non-bailable
and non-compoundable offense,
there is a risk that he will once again
commit the same offense,
as his track record shows
complete disregard
and disrespect for the court's orders.”
I'm done.
“According to the report filed
by the investigating officer,
the death of Vasudev Pawar
is assumed to be an act of suicide.
I would like to request the court
to review this conclusion critically
in the light of evidence that is
highly inconclusive and subjective.
As per Halsbury's Laws of England,
Fourth Edition, Ninth Volume, page 686,
a finding of suicide must be
on evidence of intention.
Every act of self-destruction is,
in common language,
described by the word 'suicide,'
provided it is an intentional act
of a party
knowing the probable consequence
of what he is about.
Suicide is never to be presumed.
Intention is the essential
legal ingredient.
To attract the ingredients of abetment,
the intention of the accused
to aid or instigate
or abet the deceased to commit suicide
is necessary.
In this case, let alone intention,
there is absolutely
no logical reason or motivation
as to why the accused
would abet the alleged suicide.”
As for the Dramatic Performances Act,
which my colleague cited
as grounds for rejecting bail,
Your Honor, it's a Victorian law
dating back to 1876,
and it's up to our judgment about
its relevance in a post-colonial country.
No, but this is not a valid argument.
It is the law, it is there.
“Secondly,
whether it was a dramatic performance
at all is also debatable,
because it was not a fictional
or a dramatized depiction of events.
In which case, whether it required
a censor certificate is a gray area.”
But he has already been charged
under this act in the past.
So whether
it's a dramatic performance or not
has already been decided
by the honorable court.
Yes, you are right.
That has already been proved.
That is not a valid point.
“Your Honor, there is not a single witness
in the charge sheet
who claims to have seen
such a song being performed.
There is also no documentary evidence
whatsoever
to support the claims of the police,
and the burden is on the prosecution
to prove its case.
I would sincerely request the court to
discharge my client at this stage itself,
and save him from further agony
of undergoing the trial.
In the alternative, I would request
Your Honor to grant him bail.”
Your Honor,
there is prima facie sufficient evidence
to frame the charge against the accused,
and I strongly oppose
the request for bail.
Note.
Heard.
Fit case to frame charges.
Bail plea is to be rejected.
Next hearing on 11th November.
Have a look at the other side
of the documents as well.
Why are you doing all this
on the dining table?
You didn't find any other place?
Where else to get hold of him?
I asked him to sign the papers,
he left them on the sofa.
But is this the place then?
The documents might get stained,
there is food next to it.
- Don't you have any sense?
- Tell him, don't tell me.
He has ignored this work
for many months now.
But I haven't been coming here
in the past few days.
And why exactly haven't you been coming?
Earlier at least you'd come on Sundays,
now you've stopped that as well.
Mom, don't bore me, I'm almost done here.
I tell you anything
and you reply with, “Don't bore me.”
For him it's all a joke.
He's getting everything on a platter,
so there's no value.
You'd promised I wouldn't have
to hear all this nonsense.
Don't talk about irrelevant things.
You're jumping from one thing to another.
Wow! Here I am taking your side
and you're fighting with me instead?
But why are you changing the topic?
What's the topic? There is no topic.
I'm getting late, I have to go.
Please just serve lunch.
Now are you going to vent
your anger over lunch?
Serve him quickly
or he will throw more tantrums.
- Yes, Subodh.
- Why are you instigating him again?
One minute, guys.
I'm talking on the phone!
Yes, Subodh.
Yes, I'll open the door.
Just come inside.
Mom, please open the door.
Come in.
Come, Subodh.
No, I'll sit here.
No, come join us for lunch.
Get a plate for him as well.
No, I just had lunch.
Please, it's just awkward otherwise. Come.
The guard didn't cause a problem, did he?
No, uncle, nothing.
The thing is the whole building is ours.
So if someone just mentions the name,
we have ordered him not to let them in.
If you say flat 308,
he'll let you right in.
Yeah, he told me to say 308.
- What's your name, son?
- Subodh Kushte.
- Are you Maharashtrian?
- Yes.
- Where is your hometown?
- Sutarwaadi.
Oh, this one I don't know.
Sorry about all this.
- We'll leave in five minutes.
- It's okay.
Are you his friend or client?
He's a friend.
Good, very good.
- You want some more curry?
- No, aunty, I'm fine.
You have come home for the first time,
we can't just let you go like that.
Son, does he have a girlfriend?
He doesn't tell us a thing at home.
Mom, have you gone mental?
Whenever we talk marriage,
he gets angry. See?
Are you out of your mind?
Have you gone mad?
I'm meeting this person
for the fourth time,
and you ask him
such ridiculous questions about me?
But didn't you just say
he's a close friend?
You have all gone mad!
At least finish your food.
Yes, everyone is mad,
you are the only smart one.
It's not right to leave
without eating your food.
- Let it be. He won't change.
- You please finish your food.
He'll wait for you downstairs.
He won't go without you.
- No, no, aunty.
- Please eat.
I'll come another time.
You shouldn't do this, son.
How many times have I told you!
You can't stop yourself
from instigating him.
Calm down. This is how he is.
He'll never change.
- Excuse me, where is room number 12?
- That side.
Thank you.
- Uncle, where is Vasudev's house?
- The fifth house from here.
Sister, which one is Vasudev's house?
You wanted to meet Vasudev, is it?
Yes, is that his house?
Yes, that's his house,
but there's no one there.
- Where have they gone?
- Vasudev died.
Yes, we know.
What about the rest of the family?
- They've gone to their hometown.
- Oh.
- Who all?
- His wife, two kids, and a brother too.
- The brother left as well?
- Yes, he did.
Anyway, he would be ill most of the time.
Did you have some work with him?
- Yes, wanted to meet him.
- We wanted to speak about Vasudev's death.
Yes, they had brought his body.
It was stinking so much
that no one was ready to touch it.
What had happened?
No one knew for sure.
Some people said that he must have
slipped in the sewer and died.
Some said he died
of an insect bite in the sewer.
- What did his family say?
- They also didn't know for sure.
He died,
and within two days,
his family left as well.
Did they say when they'll be returning?
No, they didn't.
- Shall I get you some water?
- No, no. I'm fine.
- You?
- No.
Thank you.
Let's go.
Thank you.
The next song is an old Portuguese song,
which I picked up from
a street musician in Brazil.
I hope you all enjoy it.
- You want to cross-examine him?
- Yes.
Begin.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Name?
Narayan Kamble.
- Age?
- Sixty-five years.
- What do you do for a living?
- I'm a folk singer.
I conduct tuitions for students
and a few workshops.
- What kind of workshops?
- For folk singers.
- Where do they take place?
- In Maharashtra, Jaitapur, Beed, Sangli.
Have you always done this,
or something else as well?
Excuse me, Your Honor.
Sorry for the interruption.
I would like to request my colleague
to converse either in Hindi or English.
Actually,
I'll be more comfortable in Marathi.
You don't worry, I'll translate it for you
if you don't understand anything.
I used to work in a mill.
Did you quit the job or did you retire?
The mill got shut down.
- Do you get any pension?
- No.
You write every month
for a periodical called Tilak, right?
Yes.
- So do you earn something from that?
- Just a token amount.
What about getting paid
for your performances?
No.
Who pays for the stage
and sound equipment then?
We don't always perform on stage.
Then where else?
On the roads, in slums, anywhere.
Are you associated
with any political or social group?
No, not in the last seven or eight years.
- So in the past you were, is it?
- Yes.
Which one?
Now there have been quite a few
over the years.
We have lots of time, tell us.
National Youth Party,
Dalit Progressive Movement,
Swaraj Mill Workers' Association.
Were you vice president
of the MFS party in 1976?
Yes.
You were accused of being
an internal security threat,
and an arrest warrant was issued
in your name, correct?
Yes.
After that, you went underground
for two years, correct?
Sir, I don't understand how something
that happened 30 years ago
is relevant to the case.
If he was not convicted on these charges,
I don't know why we are talking about it.
No, no. I think the court should know
the background of the accused.
Because of him, today somebody has died.
We need to know why these thoughts
are coming into his head.
Sir, my colleague is not bothered
about whether it really happened,
how it happened,
who saw it, where is the proof.
She's going directly into the “why” of it.
No, I am merely attempting to establish
the background of the accused.
If someone has a suspicious record
and criminal history,
then the court should know about it.
Let's move on now.
I have his records, I will look into them.
You talk about the case.
Okay, Your Honor.
Did you perform your show
on 21st August, 2012, in Sitladevi Nagar?
There wasn't really a show or anything.
- But you sang there, right?
- Yes.
Proceed.
Why did you decide
on that particular location?
There was no specific reason.
There was some open space there
and so we decided to perform there.
While performing, did you know
that you were standing right outside
Vasudev Pawar's house?
No.
- Did you know Vasudev Pawar?
- No.
Sukhdev, will you please
pass me that photo?
- Can you identify this man?
- No.
- Do you write all your songs yourself?
- Yes.
Have you ever written a song on suicide?
Yes.
Did you perform a song on suicide
on 21st August, 2012?
I don't remember.
That means you might have sung it?
Yes.
- Do you sing often on this theme?
- Yes.
So often that you don't remember
whether you sang it that day or not?
Yes.
Tell me this.
“Sewer workers,
all of us should commit suicide
by suffocating inside the sewers.”
Did you perform a song
with this theme on that day?
No.
Okay, then have you written
such a song ever?
Not yet.
So you might?
You don't mind writing such a song?
No.
We are not joking here,
you are standing in a court.
All of this is going on record.
- Did you understand what he said just now?
- Yes, I did, Your Honor.
Note.
The accused is claiming that although
he has never written
or performed such a song yet,
he doesn't mind doing it either.
This is tough.
I love your sari. It's very pretty.
Isn't it?
And it's comfortable because it's cotton.
What happened is,
I saw it on display in a store,
I liked it so much
that I immediately bought it.
Where is the time
to go shopping otherwise?
Anyway, the markets are so crowded.
True. You really can't decide what to buy.
- So, what about tonight's dinner?
- The same, I'll have to go home and cook.
Since my mister was diagnosed
with diabetes,
we have cut down on oily and sweet foods.
Obviously, the kids whine sometimes,
“Why do we have to suffer?” and all.
But once it's there,
you're tempted to eat.
Yes, true.
In our house, we don't have any illnesses,
but I'm still careful.
For the bread,
they have this multi-grain flour now.
I've started using that. Let's see.
But does it taste good?
You can't make out the difference.
And it's good for health.
Even Vaibhavi was telling me, “Mummy,
we should use olive oil, it's better.”
It's better, but so expensive.
If we use it every day, we'll go bankrupt.
But the one they sell on TV
didn't seem that expensive.
Oh, don't buy the one on TV.
So many people told me
that they got duped.
- Not worth it.
- Yeah.
These days it's hard to trust anybody.
Tara, ma'am?
Yes, one minute.
Rohan, your mother's here!
- Did he have lunch?
- Yes, he did.
Take your water bottle.
- Bye.
- Bye.
- See you.
- Bye.
Don't drag the bottle.
What's your homework for today?
I have to write an essay
on the kite festival in English
and an essay on the New Year in Marathi.
- What about math?
- No homework for math.
- This way.
- Why this way?
We have to go towards the station.
Have to pick up groceries.
Hmm.
But I had warned her, don't trust anyone.
Now she regrets it.
Ultimately, they are not blood relatives.
No, why do you need to say anything?
You don't get involved in this.
You tell them, “Get your papers in order
and then I will sign.”
Sure, I'll have a look at them.
Yes, call me tomorrow.
Okay, okay. Bye.
The salad is ready.
Enough.
- You want some more gravy?
- No.
It's not good?
Son, why don't you eat
while the bread is still hot?
I'll have it later, let Dad finish.
- What about you?
- Get me rice.
We're building a Hanuman temple
in our neighborhood.
They're celebrating the Hanuman festival.
I'm not taking part in the organization,
but I'm encouraging the youngsters.
At least that way they will get together.
Let's see how it goes.
- You want some?
- No, thank you.
Okay, I need to get going.
- Which case today?
- That Narayan Kamble one.
- Who's the judge? Mr. Sadavarte?
- Yes.
He's very sharp.
All that's fine, but he should
quickly pass the judgment now.
But Sadavarte's speed is fast.
Now, these judges like
Gaonkar, Sarpotdar, etc.,
their speed is hardly three,
three and a half cases per day.
But I've heard Sadavarte clocked in
five cases per day last year.
But things still take
their own sweet time.
For example,
take this Narayan Kamble case.
Simply throw him in jail for 20 years
and finish the matter.
The same faces, the same stories,
it's boring.
Madam wants to see new faces every day.
Let's make her a judge soon.
Oh, please do. God bless.
Have both your witnesses
come today at least?
Only one has come.
- What about the other?
- He's ill.
Okay, you can start.
State your name and age.
Shankar Bhoir, 41.
- What is your occupation?
- I am a tailor.
Did you see Narayan Kamble
on the day stated in the report?
Yes, I saw him. He was singing.
- Where?
- In Andheri East, near JB Colony.
Do you mean Sitladevi Nagar?
Yes.
What were you doing there?
I had gone to meet my brother.
Tell us about his songs.
What was he singing?
He was singing.
The content was very obscene.
- And?
- And“.
He was screaming and yelling.
- What was he saying?
- He was saying,
“Die, die. Let's drown in the sewers,
let's all die,” things like that.
Was he talking about
any specific person or community?
Objection, Your Honor.
She is clearly leading the witness.
She is feeding him the location,
she is telling him what to say.
No, no, I am not leading him anywhere.
All this is already mentioned
in his statement.
You just ask him the questions,
don't say anything else.
Okay.
So tell us in detail, what was he saying
and who was he referring to.
He was saying...
He was talking about some workers.
- Was this man present at the event?
- Yes.
At least give it a good look.
Look at it carefully.
Yes.
- Do you remember seeing him for sure?
- Yes.
Note.
Witness Shankar Bhoir heard
Narayan Kamble perform a song,
where he roused workers to give up
their lives by drowning in the sewers.
The witness also saw
Vasudev Pawar attending this show.
When will your other witness
come to court?
I'll bring him next time.
He's been sick the whole month?
Yes, sir. But next time,
I'll get him for sure.
Okay, I'll give the next date then.
January 9th.
- Fine with you?
- Yes.
“Case number 375, Mercy Fernandes.”
- Your case will not be heard today.
- Why, sir?
You have come wearing a sleeveless top
to the court hearing.
This is against
the code of conduct in court.
Only modest dressing
and sober colors are allowed.
This isn't allowed in court.
Please reconsider, sir.
No, it's against the rules.
“Case number 376, Santosh Waghmare.”
Is it spicy?
Chew properly.
- Got the tickets?
- Yes, we did.
- Good seats?
- Yes.
Next time, we'll come to see
this children's play.
- Okay, when is it?
- On Sunday.
- What time is it?
-11:00 a.m.
Dad! What are you doing?
Relax! Please sit here.
I'll explain everything to you.
Just sit here for a moment.
Dad, I've decided to get married.
With this man?
Of course not! This is the father.
- Prem?
- Yes, darling?
Can you come out for a minute?
The bride will be taken
Taken home by the North Indians
What are you doing? Shut up.
This is my father.
Prem.
Sit here, son.
Jasmine oil in your hair.
Dear, son.
You call my daughter “darling.”
At least tell me your full name.
- Prem Chaubey...
- Chaubal!
Where do you stay?
- Bareilly...
- Borivali!
- Who all are there in your family?
- Mom, dad, bro.
-“Bro!”
- Whoa!
Mom, dad, brother.
And what do you do for a living?
- Snacks vendor.
- Catering!
He's done engineering in catering.
Do one thing, Meenu.
Go inside and make tea for all of us.
Move, move.
You go with her too. Brew some exotic tea.
Quickly, quickly.
Come.
You immigrants!
First, you took our jobs from us.
Then you took away our land.
And now you want our daughters as well?
Get lost!
Get lost! Go!
These immigrants tend to mistake our grace
for our weakness.
But if pushed,
this Marathi man can easily show them
who is the boss in this city.
How did Narayan Kamble's name
come up in your investigation?
We had gone to Vasudev's house
for inquiry,
that's when someone mentioned it.
Mentioned what?
That two days ago,
Narayan Kamble had performed the song,
after which Vasudev committed suicide.
Who told you this?
Someone called Nilesh Tawde, he told us.
Then, we got Shankar Bhoir as a witness.
Nilesh Tawde lives in the same slum?
Yes, he lives there
and he knew Vasudev Pawar.
Then why isn't Nilesh Tawde's statement
included in the report?
We had recorded the statement,
but later he withdrew it.
Yes, he withdrew it,
but where is the statement?
That we'll have to look for.
How does that make sense?
- Why didn't you submit the old statement?
- I'll look into the matter.
When is that man coming to court?
- I'll get him next time.
- Then what do we do till then?
No old statement, no new statement,
and no sign of the person either.
Should we keep waiting
on this one case for years?
No, no, I'll do something.
Continue.
Thank you, Your Honor.
So tell me.
Someone told you
that Vasudev heard Narayan's song,
then how did you go about investigating?
We went to Narayan Kamble's house
and conducted a search.
- Was he present at home?
- No.
Then how did you enter?
His granddaughter was there.
Did you have a search warrant?
No.
Your Honor, the search conducted
at my client's house was illegal.
The investigating officer
did not have a search warrant,
and the search was conducted
in the presence of a minor,
who was alone in the house.
How can you presume
the suspect will not co-operate?
You've been given
the police procedure manual, right?
- Yes.
- Then what's the point of it?
- You are right.
- And what about the Ashwin Bhagat letter?
- Do you want to question him about that?
- Yes, Your Honor.
Have you read the letter?
Yes.
Can you tell us
what is written in the letter?
Ashwin Bhagat had written it
from inside Arthur Road Jail.
Yes, but what had he written?
In that,
Ashwin Bhagat had abused the jail
superintendent and other police officials.
Abused them or complained about them?
- The same thing.
- And?
There was mention of a plan.
These people were going to do something
in the city.
Who exactly?
Ashwin Bhagat, Narayan Kamble,
and their associates.
Your Honor, I have a translated version
of the letter here with me.
In the letter, Mr. Bhagat
is requesting my client
to take care of his ailing mother
while he is in jail.
I don't see what illegal activity
or planning the officer is talking about.
No, but these people are smart.
They write in code language.
- What do you mean by “these people”?
- I mean extremists.
Who told you
Narayan Kamble is an extremist?
Not Narayan Kamble, but Ashwin Bhagat
definitely is. That has been proven.
Okay, so what have they written
in code language?
That we can't figure out right now.
Ashwin Bhagat has a proven record
of doing such things.
We've given the letter
to the Intelligence Department.
They will find out.
When will they find out?
It will at least take a month, sir.
We will talk about it then.
What's the point of shooting in the dark?
You want to continue?
No, I'm done, sir.
Okay.
I'll take your leave, sir.
And what about those books?
Your Honor, 40 books were seized
from Narayan Kamble's residence.
Out of that, two are banned
by the government and illegal to own.
One is a manuscript called Goymar Manas
by Saint Kashinath, written in 1899.
The other is a book called The Lotus
and the Robot by Arthur Koestler.
Sir, I must tell you,
The Lotus and the Robot
is about oriental yoga,
and Goymar Manas is about
the history of the Goymari sect.
Goymar Manas is banned because
it hurts the sentiments of Goymari people
and is considered to be offensive.
What are you saying?
Why don't you speak in English?
It is considered to be very offensive.
Sir, the book was banned
over 110 years ago,
and in its time, it was considered
a very accurate critique
of some regressive Goymari practices.
It may be regressive for you,
but for them, it is still sacred.
Yes, but it is still
harmful and irrational.
Your Honor, how can he say that?
This is very insulting.
How is this insulting?
Stop this discussion please.
I will see what to do about the books.
Take the next date.
January 25th.
Did you face problems
with the customs officials?
I did, Daddy. I told Mummy,
they confiscated her phone...
- I don't know a thing.
- I didn't tell him anything.
It was very problematic.
They took away Mummy's phone.
- Oh, very good.
- What very good?
- We lost Mom's phone and...
- Yes, but why ask for it?
I didn't tell him you bought the things
or that they got confiscated.
Good he didn't know.
He takes pleasure in these things.
Moreover, they confiscated
Uncle Magan's daughter's gifts.
That's why I don't order anything
from abroad.
Everything is available in India.
No need to import.
But relatives don't understand.
Mummy is okay.
You didn't ask me for anything
because you understand.
But this Uncle Magan's daughter doesn't.
Kept calling me all the time
and if I don't answer, she'd leave
messages on the answering machine,
“Get me an iPad.”
They think it's like traveling
in local trains.
No customs to deal with.
Get him! Don't let him go.
Get him!
How dare you insult the Goymari sect!
Blacken his face!
All hail the Goymari sect!
Long live the Goymari people!
Madam, it's getting late now.
No, they've just arrived. We can start.
Sit.
Proceed.
Your Honor, I would like to call
Sharmila Vasudev Pawar,
wife of Vasudev Dnyanesh Pawar,
to the stand.
Permission granted.
Come.
Where were you all these days?
In my hometown.
Where is your hometown?
Shiknapur.
Why did you leave?
Your husband died,
there was a police case.
After the autopsy,
no one claimed the body either.
When did you return?
Last week.
How did you find her?
The neighbors informed her
that we were looking for her.
Then her brother-in-law
brought her to the station.
Why did you leave for the village?
Because I was...
What? Because you were what?
Because I was scared.
Who did you go with?
With my brother-in-law and daughter.
Now don't leave without informing us
till the case is done.
- Ask what you have to.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
- State your name and age.
- Sharmila Pawar.
- Age?
- I don't know.
- Still, approximately?
- Thirty.
For how many years were you married
to Vasudev Pawar?
Seven.
From the time you got married,
did Vasudev always clean sewers?
Yes.
Meaning he was used to this job?
During these years,
there were no accidents or injuries
while doing the job, right?
He had lost one eye.
- How?
- Don't know.
Was it an accident while working
or something went into his eye
or something like that?
No.
So there was no accident
while on the job, right?
It was not as if he had ever
slipped inside
or carelessly entered the sewers, right?
Okay. Now tell me,
how was your husband's mental condition?
As in?
As in would he be happy or sad
or how would he be?
He would be okay.
He would be okay?
- He wouldn't fight or anything?
- Yes, he would.
- Would he ever beat you?
- Sometimes he would.
- Would he beat the kids?
- Yes.
Okay, now tell me,
did he ever talk to you about suicide?
- No.
- No?
Then did he ever mention a song
or anything of that sort?
No? Okay.
How about a person,
someone called Narayan Kamble?
- Did he ever mention him?
- No.
Sir, what is happening?
She is leading the witness.
I'm not leading her anywhere.
Okay, move on.
Now tell me,
do you remember any person or group
performing something outside your house?
I don't know.
Are you sure or are you just
saying “no, no” for everything?
I can't remember.
Your Honor, I think she is nervous
and not able to recollect any details.
I request another date for questioning.
Okay.
Do you want to ask her anything right now
or next time only?
Your Honor, I have a few questions
I want to ask her,
but only if she is okay with it.
He is going to ask you
a few more questions.
Is that okay?
Proceed.
When your husband would go to work,
would he wear something
to cover his mouth, eyes?
No.
Gum boots or a mask or something?
No.
- Then how would he enter the sewers?
- He would just enter.
But isn't it full of dirt
and stench inside?
Yes, but he would look for cockroaches.
As in?
As in, he would throw pebbles
inside the sewer,
and if a cockroach or a bug came out,
he knew it was safe to go in.
How do you know this?
Sometimes he would come home and say,
“The cockroach didn't come out today,
so it's a holiday.”
What would he use to clean the sewer?
Anything like a spade or a rod.
Wasn't he given anything else?
No.
Just now, you said he had lost an eye.
How did that happen?
We couldn't know exactly.
The doctor said it was because
of the dirt that went in his eye.
- Because of entering the sewers?
- Yes.
Isn't he leading the witness now?
Please, please don't do this.
Okay.
- Did he consume alcohol?
- Yes.
- How many times a week?
- Every day.
- Before work or after work?
- Before work.
Why?
To bear the stench of the sewer.
Thank you.
Your Honor.
No safety equipment was ever provided
to Vasudev Pawar.
He had to rely on alcohol
to stand the stench in the gutters.
And he had no reliable way of knowing
if there was enough oxygen inside
for him to go in.
Also, he had already lost an eye
due to an infection caused
by the poisonous gases.
Note.
The deceased...
was not provided
with any safety equipment.
This is as per his wife's statement.
This may have led to the loss...
of an eye during work.
Please wear the seat belt.
On your left. There.
I should drop you
at Sitladevi Nagar, right?
Yes.
How many times will I have to come
to the court like this?
Maybe once or twice more.
I don't have much work as it is.
If I have to keep coming here,
I'll lose whatever I have in hand.
When I left for my village,
I lost all my work here.
If there's some work for me,
please let me know.
Yes, I will.
I'm ready to work anywhere.
If you need some money,
then I can arrange for it.
No, I don't want money.
Just let me know if there's work for me.
Okay.
Your Honor, according to the autopsy
report submitted by the hospital,
“The cause of death
in the case of Vasudev Pawar
was respiratory failure due to inhalation
of the poisonous gas hydrogen sulfide,
that was found inside his lungs
in an excessive amount.
There is a possibility
that the oxygen levels in his body
had dropped below six percent,
resulting in unconsciousness
or a state of coma before dying.
No injury marks or physical wounds
were found on his body,
and there were no signs
of internal bleeding.
The report suggests that
the victim was in a heavily
inebriated state at the time of death,
and a significant amount of alcohol
was found in the victim's bloodstream.
This negates the possibility
of a pre-meditated suicide
and indicates an accidental death.
No suicide letter has been found,
or any witness in whom the victim
had confided about giving up his life.”
Madam,
your case has become very weak.
The only witness you have
is Shankar Bhoir.
Sir, I have a point
to make about that also.
Your Honor,
Shankar Bhoir is a stock witness.
He has served as an eyewitness
in four other cases in the last two years.
They are State vs Mohammed Aslam,
State vs Gajendra Kamat,
State vs Krutika Modi.
And in all four cases, including this one,
the investigating officer
happens to be the same,
Pradeep Shelke.
I have no idea about this, Your Honor.
I will look into this matter.
Please do so.
Proceed.
Apart from that single witness,
Your Honor,
there is no conclusive evidence
linking my client's performance
to the death of Vasudev Pawar.
In strong defense of my client
are the statements given
by his troupe members,
Subodh Kushte, Sachin Jadhav,
Pallavi Sonar, and Vidya Sawant,
who claim that they had no knowledge
of the song in question
ever being written or performed
by the accused.
Most importantly, Sharmila Pawar, wife
of Vasudev Pawar, has testified in court
that her husband had not expressed
any intention of committing suicide,
nor did she know of any circumstances
that would lead him to such an act.
If anything, her statement
only strengthened the possibility
of the death being an accident
caused under the influence of alcohol
and negligence of safety norms.
Your Honor, I would sincerely request you
to grant my client bail,
and also take into consideration his age,
as medical reports show his health
has been deteriorating severely.
Bail granted.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Set at 100,000 rupees. Cash only...
without sureties.
Your Honor, I'm not sure if my client
can arrange for such a high amount.
He has jumped bail in previous cases.
Amount cannot be lowered.
Case number 187, Abbas Ali Ansari.
What's written in this?
You have to report every week
at the Sitladevi Nagar Police Station.
You can't leave the city
and you can't change your residence.
- Who paid the bail?
- He did.
- Then arrange for paying it back.
- Yes, I will see.
Why did you pay so much money?
We would have arranged something.
Now this case is going to go on for years.
Pay me when you can.
But still...
Here.
Why so many pills?
I just took some an hour ago.
They said take these again.
I have no idea what medicines
they are asking me to take.
Really?
The doctor asked him to take an injection.
He's refusing that, which is why
he has to take all these pills.
- Why is he refusing?
- He's scared of injections.
I'm not scared, I just don't like it.
Are injections meant to be liked?
- Have the reports come in?
- Yes, they have.
His blood pressure has shot up
and he has a fever as well.
Doctors are saying it could be jaundice.
Nana, please lie low
for the next few days.
Otherwise,
they will cancel the bail again.
Don't just say, “Hmm.”
Listen to what he is saying.
If they arrest you again and something
goes wrong in jail, what will we do?
What's the point of being so scared?
We will see what happens.
But all of us get affected.
Nana, I'll take your leave now.
You please rest.
Subodh, come out.
I'll be back.
How blessed you are, O Lord!
How blessed you are, O Lord
With love that's infinity
Lots of pity, lots of empathy
Hymns are sung about your courage
But this is a ballad of your kindness
I present this ballad of gratitude
So listen to this ballad of gratitude
O Lord
How you wield the sword
That stabs the heart
That smashes all life!
O Lord, our master
O Lord, our master
With one shot of your gun
The best of people are downed
Down in the dumps!
O Lord, our master
O Lord, our master
Yet you did not muffle me
Showed the courtesy to try me in court
How you rendered a favor onto me
0, how you rendered a favor to me
Amidst all this noise about the arts
Truth has lost its voice
Art is your hogwash
A deception in the name of aesthetics
Screams from the funeral pyre
Cannot be called a performance
We will genuinely be obliged
If you do not label us artists
And now for tonight's last item.
Dance performance of under-15 girls.
Big round of applause!
A HISTORY OF HUMILIATION
BY NARAYAN KAMBLE
Mr. Kadam.
Hand over these papers to him.
You don't have to come now.
We will let you know if we need you.
Case number 535,
Paanchpada Police Station,
Narayan Kamble.
Three days' police custody.
“Case number 536,
Paanchpada Police Station,
Amit Sawant.”
Proceed.
“The accused, Narayan Kamble,
is charged under Section 124-A
of the Indian Penal Code
that is, The Unlawful Activities
Prevention Act, 1967,
The Unlawful Activities Prevention
Amendment Act, 2008,
and Section 151, Indian Penal Code, 1860.
He has been found to conduct
seditious camps
indoctrinating state youth members
in various areas
such as Beed, Sangli,
Mumbai, and Jaitapur.
These camps have been operating
under the cover of workshops
for folk artists and poets.
Evidence has been found in the form
of exchanged correspondence,
poems, songs, and manuscripts,
that these camps have very little to do
with the folk culture of the state,
and are instead
vehicles of organizing meetings
for potentially dangerous individuals.
According to the police investigations,
the key members involved
in helping Narayan Kamble
conducting these workshops are
Subodh Kushte, Swati Shirke,
Vikas Saraf, and Anand Jadhav.
All the above mentioned people
have several cases filed against them
in various parts of the state,
and are known
to be associated with outfits
that have been termed
as terrorist organizations
by the Government of India.
The police investigation further states
that many of the so-called artists,
who have been trained under the accused,
have been responsible
for violent protests, property damage,
and even attacking police officials
in the above mentioned areas.
Narayan Kamble has been
previously booked under
Dramatic Performances Act, 1857,
and has been warned
to not perform, write, teach,
or publish any material
that is seditious in nature.
According to UAPA Amendment Act, 2008,
a person can be charged if he does
any act with the intent to threaten,
or likely to threaten,
the unity, integrity,
security, or sovereignty of India,
or with the intent to strike terror,
or likely to strike terror,
in the people or
any section of the people in India,
or in any foreign country,
by using bombs, dynamite,
or other explosive substances,
or inflammable substances,
or firearms, or other lethal weapons,
or poisons, or noxious gases,
or other chemicals,
or by any other substances,
whether biological, radioactive, nuclear,
or otherwise, of a hazardous nature,
or by any other means
of whatever nature, or likely to cause,
a) Death of, or injuries to,
any person or persons,
or, b) Loss of, or damage to,
or destruction of, property,
or, c) Disruption of supplies or services
essential to the life
of the community in India,
or in any foreign country.”
Sir, where is the bomb?
Where are the lethal weapons?
No, no. “Bomb, or chemical,
or by any other means
of whatever nature,” includes anything.
That is not the point.
What is the intent?
“The intent is to threaten,
or likely to threaten,
the unity, integrity, security,
or sovereignty of India.”
Your Honor, my client claims
that the charges against him
are completely fabricated,
including the evidence
submitted by the police.
Now it is a very serious
and convenient accusation.
The inspector has authorized permission
for arrest from his department chief.
Sir, but there is not enough evidence.
I've already submitted
my client's medical reports.
There is a severe risk to his health
if he's in prison
for such a long duration.
I request you to grant him bail.
The police has charged UAPA.
How can I grant him bail
when there is no bail provision only?
Sir, today is the last
working day in court.
It will be a violation
of my client's fundamental rights
if he will be placed in judicial custody
for an entire month,
without being proven guilty.
No, no, the summer vacation from tomorrow
is for Sessions Court only.
You can still go to the High Court.
Accused to be remanded...
in judicial custody...
and to be produced in court...
on 7th July.
- Is that all?
- Yes.
Court is adjourned for the day.
Is everyone here?
Everyone's luggage is in place?
- Come ahead.
- I don't think they heard you.
Come, we're almost ready to leave.
- Everyone ready?
- Yes.
All hail Lord Ganesha!
All hail Lord Ganesha!
Abhijeet had come home, he told me
you've started your own consultancy firm.
Yes. Got my business cards printed.
For the time being, I will juggle
between my job and the consultancy.
Let's see what happens.
That means you're not quitting your job?
- No.
- Very good.
What are the doctors saying about him?
Nothing clear yet.
We have recently found a new therapist.
Let's wait and watch.
Is he still not speaking at all?
No, he does say words
like “Ma,” “Pa,” etc.
But not complete sentences.
Let's see what this new therapist does.
What about school?
No school for now.
He can't sit in one place for too long.
He's very restless.
These speech therapists and all are fine,
but I've said this before
and I'm saying it again,
you must change his name.
There's a problem with his name.
Show him to a good numerologist
and get an opinion.
- Understood?
- Yes.
And I will give you one more tip.
There is a gemstone called Hessonite.
Yes.
Make him wear a Hessonite ring
on his middle finger.
- Tell me if he doesn't start talking soon.
- Okay.
- Just try this.
- We'll try this as well.
You need to take advantage
of these phenomena.
42. Anybody got 42?
- Anyone hit the middle or bottom line?
- Bingo!
Has anyone got it?
Are you guys paying attention?
44.
Remember, when we went there last time.
We had fish there.
Really. It was very fresh.
There was a lot of originality.
It makes a difference in the taste
if the fish is fresh. A lot of difference.
Hot off the stove...
There is a difference in the taste.
- The water also matters.
- Yes. Water makes a difference.
- From fresh water...
- Yes, fresh water makes a difference.
Because... what we eat here in the village
and in the city, that's so different.
- The taste is different.
- And we eat a lot more at a picnic.
What's happening is
this growth in salary is seen
only in a few sectors.
For example, the IT industry.
- Right?
- Yes.
- There is also an MBA.
- Yes, that's the same.
If you have a degree from llM Ahmedabad
or IIM Bangalore,
the minute you graduate,
you get a salary of 4,00,000 rupees.
- Per year?
- Per month!
Yes. 4,00,000 per month, in-hand.
That's ten million a year.
Just a day before,
I read an article in Times of India.
The students who topped,
they got a package
of 8,00,000 rupees. 800,000!
What is going on? Get lost! Go!
Bloody idiots!