Amar.
Akbar.
- Mr. Akbar. - Hello.
- So good to see you. - Same here.
Hello.
It's a good thing you showed up.
Because if you hadn't,
you would have been brought here anyway.
The police called right after you did.
I'm a law-abiding citizen, so...
Here I am.
I just hope the case is resolved quickly.
Why wouldn't it be?
If everyone cooperates, it will be.
Of course.
Nice perfume.
Thank you.
You get it in Dubai.
Next time I return from Dubai,
I'll definitely get one for you.
No, it's...
I don't mind one.
Sure.
Thank you.
Start proceedings in:
Bahar Chakravarty versus The State.
Prosecution.
Your Honour, as per the defence,
the accused claims that,
Jessu Momin recorded her private moments with Sudarshan,
and then used those videos to blackmail her.
My learned friend's client
must have heard about the MeToo movement.
I'm sure she has.
Then she must also know that the laws against crimes
against women in our country are extremely strong.
Your Honour, just one phone call...
and the accused could have been sent to jail
under a non-bailable offence.
So, Ms Bahar,
when Jessu Momin blackmailed you for the first time,
why didn't you approach anyone?
You could have told someone.
You could have gone to the police.
Your Honour, I would like to ask my junior defence council,
that she had dozens of opportunities
to send Jessu Momin to jail.
She could have dialled 100.
There are several NGOs for women in our country.
She could have approached any one of them.
Social media.
Digital media.
Print. Electronic I mean.
One reel, one post, one byte-
and it would have been the end of the matter.
But she did none of that.
Instead, she went to
Jessu Momin's hotel late at night,
to get her video deleted.
And there,
suddenly, Jessu Momin ends up dead.
She panics and runs away.
I mean,
what could be a bigger motive to commit murder?
Your Honour, everyone is aware
that there are many women- across the world,
if not in our country-
who choose not to speak up in such situations.
They are judged by society.
The media is insensitive,
always hungry for the next scandal.
And, frankly-
what is the actual number of convictions so far
in MeToo-related cases?
My client's career had just begun, Your Honour.
She was afraid that if the video leaked,
how would she face society?
How would she face her family?
She would be humiliated.
And so, she chose silence.
Then why didn't she think of any of this,
Your Honour, when she went to
Jessu Momin's hotel room late at night?
If this news had leaked,
wouldn't she and her family
be humiliated anyway?
Another point, Your Honour.
I would like to refer to the Thane extortion case of 2022,
where the victim eventually killed the blackmailer.
A similar pattern was seen in State of Karnataka vs Babu, 2019.
Mohammad Rafat Khan vs Veena Ahir, 2024.
The Hemant murder case, Your Honour-
where the victim, Nafisa, killed Hemant
after being blackmailed for ten consecutive years.
I apologise for the outburst,
Your Honour.
But as things stand today-
there is only one accused in this case.
Ms Bahar Chakravarty.
Your Honour,
according to all the evidence,
Jessu Momin did not commit suicide.
And Your Honour, according to the forensic reports,
there was no scuffle between Ms. Bahar
and Jessu Momin during which Jessu Momin
could have accidentally shot himself.
Is that correct?
Your Honour,
the accused had the strongest motive to kill Jessu Momin.
Time for the googly.
Your Honour.
Yes, Defence.
There is another person
who had a motive to kill Jessu Momin.
I am going to contradict
my own argument from the last hearing,
for which I apologise.
I want to congratulate the prosecution,
because my focus shifted in this direction thanks to you, sir.
As I said, I still have a lot to learn from you.
Your Honour,
Sudarshan had a clear motive.
On the night of 25th August,
he was seen in CCTV footage of Hotel Sun n Beach's lobby.
Shortly after that,
he disappeared and has not been found since.
Your Honour,
he is once again trying to waste the court's time.
Your Honour, I am surprised
that my learned prosecutor said in the last hearing,
"Do not look at the reason, look at the motive."
And now, when I am examining the motive,
he claims I am wasting the court's time.
Please decide, sir,
whether Sudarshan is the prime suspect in this case or not.
Your Honour, this mystery will not be resolved until
Sudarshan appears before this court.
The mystery has already been solved, Your Honour.
Ms. Bahar's actions clearly indicate-
Your Honour, if you may please permit me, I want to prove
before this court that Sudarshan had a clear motive.
Then go ahead. Prove it.
That will be all from my side, Your Honour.
Thank you.
Your Honour, I would like to present one of
Ms. Bahar's statements before the court.
Your honour, in her statement, Ms. Bahar said
that her flatmate, Ms. Achala, gave her the idea to delete the video
from Jessu Momin's phone.
For that purpose,
I would like to call Ms. Achala to the witness box.
You may please.
Ms. Achala,
how long have you known Ms. Bahar?
We have been flatmates for nearly eight months.
Did you give Ms. Bahar the idea to delete the video
from Jessu Momin's phone?
Yes.
"Meet Jessu. Make him comfortable with your
sweet talk. Make him drink.
He'll zone out."
"Then take his phone
and delete the video."
"Okay,
but do you think
I can do all this?"
"Of course, babe.
You're a great actress.
You'll do it."
Jessu made Bahar's
life miserable by blackmailing her,
and I knew Jessu.
You knew Jessu?
Yes.
He would completely black
out under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
That was the only opportunity
to delete the video from his phone.
How did you know Jessu?
I knew his partner, Mr. Akbar.
Akbar Baig?
Yes.
We met through him.
Did you inform Mr. Akbar Baig about the blackmail?
Yes.
Did Mr. Akbar take any action?
Yes.
He said he would talk to Jessu about it,
but he left for Dubai due to a family emergency,
and after that we lost touch.
Alright.
Ms. Achala, you lied in your police testimony.
You stated that you did not know Sudarshan.
Is that correct?
Yes. I did that on Bahar's insistence,
because she did not want Sudarshan's name to be involved.
But according to Ms. Bahar,
Sudarshan was innocent.
So either she was lying,
or you are.
Ms. Achala, lying to the police
and lying in this court are very different things.
If you lie in the witness box,
that constitutes perjury,
which carries a punishment of up to
seven years of imprisonment.
So please speak the truth.
Bahar told me everything I know about Sudarshan.
What do you know about Sudarshan?
Only this-when Sudarshan
found out that Jessu was blackmailing Bahar over the contract,
he said he would kill Jessu.
What?
Sudarshan said he would kill Jessu.
And Bahar was
afraid that he might actually do it,
because I have seen him hit a man in the club before
just because he bumped into Bahar, while dancing.
Sudarshan had trouble controlling his anger.
That will be all, Ms. Achala.
Thank you.
Your Honour, before I conclude,
I would like to refer to a few cases
where a loved one of the victim killed the blackmailer.
Surender Pandey vs Vishal Shinde,
Navi Mumbai Sessions Court, 2024.
Ansar Khan vs State of Uttar Pradesh,
October 2023.
Divyendu Ghosh vs State of West Bengal,
Kolkata High Court,
September 2023.
Similarly, in the present case, on the night of 25th August,
Sudarshan went to Room No. 111 at Hotel Sun n Beach.
He confronted Jessu over
the blackmail of Bahar
and then shot Jessu to death.
That is all, Your Honour.
Considering today's arguments,
the court grants two weeks time
for the police to complete their investigation.
Investigating Officer.
Yes, Ma'am.
Are you feeling alright?
Yes, madam.
Then what is the delay for?
Give me his senior's number.
I expect that before the next hearing,
the other possible suspect,
Mr. Sudarshan, will be arrested
and produced before this court for questioning.
Failing which, the court will be compelled
to take action against the investigating team.
Adjourned.
Sir, please enlighten me.
What happened in court today?
What exactly was it? Let me explain.
You spoke extensively inside today, that's why.
Sonali, remember the T20 India vs South Africa final?
Yeah.
We had ninety percent lost that match.
Then came Rishabh Pant with a fake injury.
Team India bought time.
The batsman lost focus.
After the break, he got out on the very first ball.
I get it now.
You mean, after today's trial,
the police and media will assume Sudarshan is the killer.
Which he obviously is not.
But they'll believe it because Amar sir said so.
The media and the police will leave no stone unturned
to find Sudarshan, whom we couldn't trace.
It's not that-
Khandekar.
Amar, buddy, what is your problem with me?
If you don't like my face, say it straight.
Why are you messing with me indirectly in court?
I am really sorry, pal, but trust me,
it's all part of the plan.
It's important that Sudarshan gets caught.
But is Sudarshan the killer?
I have my doubts.
Unfortunately, I have very few leads and
too many missing links.
Look, for the next couple of hearings,
the court's focus will be on Sudarshan.
The public prosecutor won't pester you
for anything other than Sudarshan.
That will buy me time.
Just find Sudarshan, no matter how.
But we don't have any leads.
How, when, and where he disappeared that day-
no one has a clue.
Jai Hind, sir.
Get married, Khandekar.
Take a few days leave.
I'll keep your transfer order ready.
I'm thinking of handing this case over
to another ACP.
There's a lot of pressure from the media.
I understand, sir.
I'm really sorry.
I will give you results very soon.
And yes, sir, I believe
if Akbar and Achala knew about the blackmail,
we should interrogate them soon.
Khandekar, I don't care what you believe.
I don't care.
Follow the court's orders.
Find Sudarshan!
Right, sir.
Jai Hind, sir.
What, sir?
Pressure cooker?
What else?
Let's find Sudarshan before this pressure cooker
blows its lid.
- Come on. - Yes.
"Bahar Chakravarty vs The State" has turned into
a reality game show by defence lawyer
Amar Vishwas.
Is defence lawyer
Amar Vishwas misleading the common people?
His suspects keep changing every week.
Good shot, DD.
Wait a second.
Who is it?
Yes, dear?
Is it true? Are you losing to AV?
- Losing to AV? - Yeah.
Says who?
I saw this news.
Where did you see it?
Dad, my friends are forwarding these reels,
saying you're losing.
Is it true?
What do you expect from Insta reels?
The case has just begun.
Give it some time and soon your friends will be saying
your dad is a winner.
And what's his name-
AV?
AV will be the loser.
Okay.
And yes,
don't drink too much, okay?
Okay, bye. I'll try.
DD sir.
Akbar.
Akbar Baig.
Ah, Akbar Baig.
- Come, please. - Yes.
So, Mr Akbar,
what would you like to have?
I don't drink.
I just want some of your time.
My time?
Akbar sir,
I guess you have a taste for expensive things.
That I do.
I was a big fan of your grandfather.
Thank you.
The films he made-
they were a delight to watch.
Thank you.
The way he portrayed his heroines-
You have good taste.
Even your father did superb work.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
But, Akbar sir-
I wish I could say the same about you.
I understand what you are saying.
You're right.
Often, one doesn't excel
in one's forefather's field.
Filmmaking wasn't my passion.
Property was.
So I went to Dubai.
I wasn't talking about work.
What were you doing
with a lowlife like Jessu Momin?
How do I put this?
What can I say now that he's no more?
You're his lawyer,
yet you talk like this?
I work for the State.
I represent the State.
The case is "Bahar Chakravarty vs The State".
That is my job.
But I won't give a character certificate
to a man like Jessu Momin.
He was a sleazy man.
Jessu was my partner.
That was my mistake.
But I have nothing to do with this case.
I don't want to be dragged into this mess.
For any reason.
If you help me-
whatever your fee is, I'll pay you double.
Just get me out of this mess.
Mr Akbar, as a public prosecutor,
technically I cannot help you.
But I know someone
who would be perfect for you.
Look, Khandekar.
The van enters the hotel at 5:10 in the morning.
Right?
And then it exits
at 5:20 a.m.
Again, at 5:45,
it enters the hotel.
Goldie, what time did Sudarshan disappear
from the CCTV camera?
Almost the same time.
And where could this van have gone at such an early hour?
The hotel staff said it's the laundry van.
It arrives every morning at 6:30 a.m.
But that day, for the first time,
it arrived at 5:00 a.m.
What did the van driver say?
He said he arrived early, at 5:00 a.m.
Then he had to shit urgently.
When he reached the hotel,
the staff refused to let him use the toilet.
So he got into his van and went outside
to a public toilet.
That's what he said.
Sounds suspicious to you, Khandekar?
He spun an entire story around a toilet.
Doesn't matter.
We'll beat the truth out of him.
Khandekar, had it been me,
I would have tracked the van's movement from 5:10 a.m.
to 5:45 a.m.
Mr Sushil?
- Akbar? - Yes.
Hello, Akbar.
- Hello. How are you? - I am good.
- Take a seat? - Thank you.
Would you like a drink?
I don't drink during the day.
Only at night.
You're right.
Then shall I come straight to the point?
Go ahead.
As you know, my friend Jessu has passed away.
By passed away, I mean-
he was murdered.
Yes.
I want to stay out of this case.
But Mr Akbar, you are not in this case
that you want to stay out of it.
Let me explain.
The opposing lawyer, Amar,
grilled my friend Achala at length to save Bahar.
I don't want this to come back to me
and trap me.
My grandfather and my father suffered a lot
in court cases like this.
I am not comfortable being here.
Look, I'm willing to pay double your fee.
No-
Just don't leave me in this mess.
Get me out.
Mr Akbar, don't worry.
You will stay out of this mess.
And Bahar will stay in it.
Is it that easy?
Not too difficult either.
What a stupid driver, sir.
Lying in the age of CCTV.
Tavde, he wouldn't have been caught if he hadn't lied.
And Amar wouldn't have got the idea to track this vehicle.
Yes.
- Sir. - Yes.
The van took a right from this temple.
Wait a minute.
Pause at number seven.
Now zoom in.
That's the rehab centre, Tavde.
- Hello. - Mahesh, listen.
Yes, sir.
Amar Vishwas is on Sudarshan's trail.
Get rid of Sudarshan tonight.
It must not look like a murder in any way.
Then disappear for a few days.
after the job.
Understood?
Yes, sir.
Lock it.
That bloody laundry van driver was lying.
He said he went to shit.
Now he'll think of us every time he goes.
What's the point, Tavde?
We thrashed him black and blue,
but all we learned was that Mahesh paid him, from rehab.
Alright.
Let's tell Amar about this lead.
Come inside. Get some tea.
Go get tea. Go.
Sudarshan is in a Mumbai rehab centre.
Their caretaker, Mahesh, bribed the driver.
Yes, Amar.
Did you arrest Sudarshan?
No. We're waiting for DCP sir.
We'll be there in 45 minutes, once the
warrant is signed.
You and your procedures.
Protocol, Amar.
Sudarshan's life could be in danger.
Goldie, does your bike have fuel?
Yes, it does.
Come, I'll take you for a spin.
Where are we going?
I'll tell you on the way.
Come on.
Mahesh.
Sudarshan. Stop!
Come on.
Take him away.