Original subtitles

''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.

- What do you do? - I'm doing M.Com.

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!