The Divine Killer
by 
Maheshwar
|
Posted: 23 January 2014 Word Count: 4821 Summary: It's a literary thriller, the subject is unique as he kills only ghosts |
|
He entered through the main gate right at the moment when judge got his seat. Everyone presented there took the honor to welcome him, and they all greeted him almost in unison.
“Please be seated.” Judge said while taking his seat and received their greetings with dignity and pleasure. Then a young person in deep blue shirt and black pant reached to the convict box and pleaded, “My name is Truth. Justice Your Honor, justice!”
The guard of the court announced loud on his unique voice- witness head constable of police hazeer hoooo…., (be present).
Nobody could hear or give notice upon that person approaching near convict box who was pleading for a justice.
It was as usual when court gets started, 10.30 AM, judge takes his seat at that moment together with all officials. Lawyers move in and out with bunch of files in their hands, followed by their clients. It takes almost half an hour or at times an hour more to get real starting of the legal procedure in the court.
Month of May, a hot and humid weather.
The Writer had put all files for the hearing on judge’s table, and discussed little over them with him as to which case should be opened first. Judge selected a file and asked his Writer about witness presence and signaled to proceed, “Let the prosecution be started.”- He said in a low voice pointing to Public Prosecution Officer (PPO).
The court immediately turned into a state of pin-drop-silence. Lawyers stopped rambling here and there and officials took their position cautiously.
Only the two heavy ceiling fans continued noising, one right on top of judge’s seat, and another in mid of hall, where two wooden rather large benches had set over which twenty people could sit at a time. Still, the hall had enough space for more standing audiences or to arrange more chairs if needed.
“Who are you?” Judge asked the person stood in the convict box, rather surprisingly.
“I’m Truth” the man said fearlessly.
“Oh, well, in which case, who is your lawyer?” Judge moved to PPO for a reply. PPO searched his diary out and came near the box and asked the man almost the same question alike to the judge, “Who is your police officer, what’s your case?”
“Nobody there is.., myself has submitted here” He said in a feel-free-mood, confidently. His eyes shone and seemed staring across the judge wall where a framed photo was hanging. It was his nation’s emblem where he read written clearly in bold letters- only truth prevails.
“But what you’ve committed now and where is your case file?” PPO wanted to know subsequently.
“I’m a killer; I’m a culprit of section 302 of Indian Panel Code. No police officer had paid attention over my case, therefore, Your Honor! I found no place except to have a plea here at your court of justice.” He said in a cool voice. “Justice Your Honor, justice!”
“Who’s that unfortunate to be murdered by you?” Judge asked curiously.
All presented officials and non officials got stuck to know that there was a killing. A young and handsome looking man being the culprit, what the real matter was!
The single question there raised was who the murdered person was and why? The courtroom turned a little noisy all around with the same curiosity.
“I’m a killer of many persons, so, for the sake of infinite justice, I accept I’ve committed many heinous killings before honorable court of justice only in order to prevail truth on this earth and get punished accordingly.” Said the man standing inside the convict box.
“But as we all know this is justice room, and one has to follow many procedures in order to get justice. That simply means the court is bound to follow some procedural acts.” PPO explained about the technical side of affair.
“Here it is…,” He said and second after he produced a one page statement in which he had stated commitment of many killings. All the presents were his witness as he was going to submit himself all in his consciousness and clean state of mind. The paper was duly signed and dated.
“Justice your honor, justice!” He said.
PPO opened that one page statement hurriedly before the court and all audiences who turned silent- a breathtaking moment really!
PPO just read it all, and forwarded the statement paper for judge and threw a glance upon audiences. He looked a bit nerves.
Judge too read it carefully and placed the paper under a paperweight, right in front of him, then made a gesture which meant- what’s this?
Curiosity mounted in all, silence prevailed all through there. What the matter was, a good looking young man surrenders himself before the court for being involve in so many murder cases. And this innocent looking man comes here for a justice, well, why not police made him charge sheeted and with all related police investigations and why not he was sent to police custody!
Noises of two running ceiling fans existed for a while, but nobody could hear it, only the new case had poked everyone’s mind only to hear inside of their noises. Noises of so many questions!
Right away, when the audiences stood still in a fierce struggle of mind, PPO turned to them, removed his glass out and read it aloud,
“Listen, gentleman! He is Mister Truth, and as he said he is a killer, killer of many persons, and now he wants justice. He wants to be punished. Okay. Do you know who the unfortunate victims are?”
The breath of audiences had choked. “You know…, he is a killer of many ghosts!”
Instantly he made a thunder, followed by audiences in unison. Oh! What a joke!
This is the matter.., why police showed no interest over it. What a joke really!
Soon the hall turned tension-free. A bit noisy. People started being attentive over their own issues.
“Your Honor! I beg to say something.” Amid audience’s laughter he looked serious, he continued- “I beg a pardon sir, PPO has committed two mistakes, and both seems to going against honorable court of justice, that is, it might be a sheer case of contempt of court!”
His voice made all presented listening to him carefully, he continued- “Your Honor should know that PPO sir have called me by including prefix, Mister. I’m a convict and as I’ve expressed my conviction before the honorable court already, still if you want to do it means either you’re sending an irony my way out or sending an honor to a culprit. This simply implies that you don’t know what a dignity of court of justice is! Doesn’t he seem to dishonor the court?”
Really his explanation made all stunned. Yes, to his view, he was right. And on the floor of justice, any mocking or sort of this behavior means dishonoring justice. Justice is the supreme duty on this living earth, and as far as justice is there, everything is alive and well-settled here.
His point was subtle, no doubt, and really it contained a sense. But, the PPO, man of letters, who only knew how to defeat in an argument on the board, took out his spectacle again and looked fiercely upon him and said, “Well, now I’ll call you Friend, OK? Dear friend, who has told you that you’re a culprit? There is neither charge sheet nor any evidences we have thus far. Is there any base to call a simple person a convict? No. I don’t think even you’ve any witness; again, I do not think you can show us your victim’s dead bodies. Simply you’re making our time waste, don’t you! Shouldn’t you send off to jail in that offence right now?” Then PPO turned his face toward audiences who got stuck to them again.
“Your Honor, this is not fare, unless one is given due moment of consideration how one can explain one’s view point. Let me speak Your Honor! For the sake of justice on this earth, let me speak!” He begged.
“No Your Honor, the valuable time of court just slipping off for a joker, allow me to call up a police official, better hand over him to them. They know better how to deal with such men.” PPO requested the court, wiping his forehead out, although the heavy noisy ceilings fan above his head was on. It appeared that the weather had gone more terrifically hot and humid. Oh, really unbearable!
Some layers, who owned less or no work then, found a shelter in front bench. Enjoying all along!
Soon the front seat got its full quota.
“Your Honor”, the man said with attitude, “I’m ready to submit all witnesses, and ready to justify all situations came across in my cases. But unless I get a fare amount of time to discuss these all, how one can say all is bogus and nothing. I object Your Honor!”
“All right friend!” said PPO
“I object, don’t call me a friend. I’m a convict of section 302 of Indian Panel Code (IPC), a murderer.” The man said.
“Okay my learned convict! Can you tell before the honorable court that where are your witnesses, and in which situation did all crime were committed?” PPO said by turning to judge.
“It’s only I, it’s me that exist, it’s me that witnessed, it’s me that know situation what and how happened.” He said confidently.
This time PPO moved to audiences and asked, “Doesn’t it seem a simple case of psychiatric?” Then he turned to the court and pleaded, “Shouldn’t he better send to a mental doctor, Your Honor?”
“I object…, Your Honor, I’m a writer, and readers like what I write.”
“Interesting, a writer, an artist! Almost a psycho person…, doesn’t it!” PPO seemed mocking over his plea.
“You seem to waste priceless time of court, better listen to me, punish a culprit, rather you look rambling through the issue.” The man objected.
This time PPO turned to judge and showed his gesture as if suggesting- what I can do now! It’s your problem now. This is a mental case only.
“Listen to me.” Judge spoke, “Last warning and last chance, say me only one reason why this court should allow you for an argument. Can you tell me only a reason; otherwise this court is bound to pass an order to kick you off now.”
“Yes I can. I’m here in front of you and all. I exist here and at this certain point of time, there are many who can be a witness.” Judge stopped him midway and said angrily, “Don’t try for a reckless explanation, and come straightway.”
“I’ve two solid reasons, one- this is my confession, another is, this is my fundamental right.” He said confidently.
“What do you mean?” PPO raised the question.
“If be kind enough to let me explain it.” He continued after a positive affirmation by the judge, “Religions often offer us opportunity to confess for our misdeeds, this is a sort of divine court where all convicts are heard.” He gasped for awhile and added, “Because this is worldly court of justice, hence, I think, honorable court must hear a plea and if the case is valid, then he must give an opportunity for a trial. Again, my constitution permits me grant to seek justice when it comes to Article 20 of section 3, which suggests of ‘Right to Silence’ against any charge sheeted convict. Please mention here exemption 4 of section 300 of IPC. If this section of ‘Right to Silence’ grants a convict to have right not to speak against himself or herself, I want this section to use in my favor. I think I got the right to be heard to me as my statement clearly state of my criminal affairs.”
Again there was a quiet moment, except moving fans round there up. Judge seemed puzzled over this matter, looked for PPO who already had considered it a good mental case and the sick should be sent to his best suitable place- mental hospital.
“Your Honor, I beg to say something, if you give me permission.” The man requested facing judge, who by his gesture turned to PPO giving him another chance to hear. Let him speak out.
“Go on” PPO said.
“Your Honor, there are so many cases in which no any culprit are caught and punished, still, the fact is, and, the matter of importance is that crime had occurred, and there are criminal moving feely outside..”
“Ok, OK, let it finish, just get finish your narration of Alif Laila.” PPO said irritatingly.
“Yes, sir, I’m coming to the point. Simply in my case, a convict is there before the court of justice for a trial and punishment.” “But in my case,” he continued, “Honorable court has doubt for I’ve killed ghosts.”
“Exactly, this is a solid court and we need solid witnesses, solid situations and solid explanations based on existing law. We exist on facts and not on sheer elements as you have.” PPO explained.
“I’ll prove it that my crimes are solid and not it had happened in just an abstract manner. They too come under law which utterly violated and I’m truly a culprit.” He said politely and bow down before the court.
Outside in complete stillness due to hot temperature, somewhere behind trees a cuckoo sang. This world is unique, as most creatures would creep lazily, and mankind would only yawn, reptiles sit encircled and a bird like cuckoo would sing songs of pleasure.
Maybe life and death exist together.
Life? Death? Murder?
Inside the courtroom there was a killer, advocates and a judge. A mystery had broken inside there.
“Order sheet” Learned judge asked his Writer and ordered, “call him next day for a hearing”.
Soon this murder mystery spread in the periphery around there, letting all concerned people talks widely. They gossiped largely upon the way he had put himself therein, the way he introduced to the court, and all about his temperament and confidence. And, above all, it was for one who had killed many ghosts.
Next day, everybody ran up for their suitable seat quite earlier in the morning. Not only that, people arranged so many extra chairs. All seniors and juniors advocates were called by the judge to join for a tea. It was half past nine in the morning, much time for a tea party.
“At first, thank all of you for being in my tea party here. Have your cup of tea please.” Judge requested.
“Thank you sir, it’s our pleasure.” Senior advocate Kannojiya expressed his gratitude.
“Officers, what do you think of this case? I want your clear view regarding it.” Judge said.
“As I’ve already expressed my opinion, it’s a mental case.” PPO turned his face around and smiled.
“Be frank, please.” Judge encouraged them to ventilate their thoughts.
“I don’t think there is any harm of law if we get to hear him for some moments, although it depends upon you, Your Honor!” Kannojiya said.
Hum, then judge threw a glance throughout on faces present there where only a silence existed. Their faces appeared almost thoughtless.
“I can understand. I can well understand that at times, we all have to face a moment or we get ourselves at a square where we feel all alone. Completely alone. Nobody can help us, no tradition, no theory and nothing there is to help you. This is how I’m feeling now. Despite amid all crowds I feel I’m alone.” He added, “Thanks again for being with me”
10.30, the court started. PPO reached near the board walking lazily with files in his hand. Assistant approached judge with many files to be heard on that day. He instructed his Assistant to have to issue another summons next week.
The convict, named Truth given opportunity for an argument. The eagerly waiting audiences, fully packed, saw him coming inside the courtroom with same attitude they had seen yesterday. Approaching to the convict box, he greeted judge with dignity.
“Prosecution…” Judge signaled to move on the procedure.
Everybody was more than conscious about the thing yet to happen now- how the argument would proceed or, simply he would be sent for a hospital.
“Listen carefully..” judge said, “This court has decided to hear you on, we thought you got only two valid points which needed to be considered, one is that this is your confession and another, we think, it might be a case of freedom of expression. Actually, this is not really a right place anyway for your free voices, but we feel in this case, you should be given a chance. But unless and until we feel that you’re not intended to kill our time. Is that ok? Now, go ahead...”
“Well, PPO sir, you’re entitled to cross him on ground of law, be careful, this is a remote case, a single in nature, here, you’ve not to prove for a conviction, but, on the contrary, you see here what the matter is! Unique.” Judge said and pointing to the man in convict box, asked, “Do you need a lawyer?”
“No Your Honor! Thank you so much for hearing on my plea.” The man bows down.
As expected, there were many chairs set behind the two big benches, and yes, there was little space left in the courtroom. Only the two noising ceiling fans were running on.
PPO opened his diary and penned something down in it.
“Let start…, take a vow religiously that you’ll only speak truth.”
“I take the vow religiously that whatever I speak will be truth only.”
“Your name?” PPO
“My name is Truth.”
“What’s your surname?”
“No, there is none..”
“Note down please.., what’s your father’s name”
“Sorry, I don’t know my father’s name.”
“Do not know your parents..?”
“They are unknown to me Your Honor..”
“Note down please.., by the way, tell about your age, caste, community..”
“I’m so sorry, I do not know anything of them, and even I have no account of my age.”
“Interesting, now, tell me your residential address, you must have one, I think you cannot live floating in the air, right?”
“Well, the entire earth is my place to live..” The man said quietly. This time PPO turned his smiling face to audiences supposes wanted to suggest them that look at him, what a miracle account of his bio-data! Amazing!
The Writer too felt playing like a sort of puzzle game- how to fill up the form! Judge whispered him to mention there something and get on over the discussion.
“Well, so, you’re a killer?”
“Yes Your Honor, I’ve already told about it..”
“Don’t forget you’re in convict box and only you’re responsible for your arguments, OK? So, listen carefully to me and reply carefully before the court of law.”
“Yes, I’ll try..”
“The honorable court wants to know whom you’ve killed, where and how?” PPO asked a series of questions so warmly as to shake his opposition mentally.
“They all were ghosts”
“How many, give an exact number..”
“Countless..”
“Well, where and when (regarding place and time)..?”
“There is again no any account of time in my life, and all I can say about the place is that there had been dark prevailing, a total dark throughout.”
“Which weapon did you use, and let this court know where it is now?” PPO almost shouted over him. But that self convicted man told him so politely,
“The only light of enlightenment! My own light. My only weapon used in their murder. And it’s right now in me, within of me.” Certainly the reply deserved a huge laughter there, but none dared to laugh upon his responses.
“What was the reason to kill them?”
“Maybe there was none, maybe I’m that sort of person.”
“By the way, how you’ll likely to define your victim’s murder?”
“Well, I think it was a complete destruction of prevailing dark. I can correlate with women who love and are conscious of their dignity, learned persons how they’re aware of their respect; similarly, ghosts love only darkness, and I’m the enemy of that.” He explained it calmly.
“It’s over now. Now I would like to ask questions to witness of this case. Note down please.” PPO turned to the Writer, wiped out his forehead and move a bit of back and forth around the board, then continued, but before any proceeding with witness, Judge again repeated the vow to take religiously to tell everything that is true.
“Where you had been, when all the crime happened, I mean, killing of ghosts.”
“I was there, your honor.”
“What did you see then?”
“I saw convict Truth killing ghosts right in front of me.”
“How he killed them?”
“With all his enlightenment, it was Prometheus Light of Knowledge, Your Honor!”
“Did you hear any voice or cry there?”
“Yes, they were bitterly crying..”
“So, the ghosts cry out…” PPO shrugged his shoulders.
“Can you tell me, how you got to hear them out, I mean, through your one eye or through your two ears?”
“There were none of these…; I saw them through my sixth sense.”
“Well, what is sixth sense, by the way?”
“It’s a part of our body which comes to awake when all our normal, that is, our all five senses get to sleeping or inactive, and through this super sense, one can take use of all 5 senses do combined together.”
“Interesting. Why those ghosts being his enemy, any reason?”
“Their enmity seems to be from unknown times.”
“Your Honor!” PPO faces the judge and said, “There is nothing in this case, so far, as we’ve seen, our case is as abstract as it was right in the beginning. The facts are far ahead. The wasted time of this court has gone afar, and, I think, this is too much.”
“I object Your Honor!” He cried out, “This will be so unjust to end up this case in this way.”
“But this court runs through solid evidences, and so far, I think, you’ve produced none!” Judge said.
“But I say these evidences are as omnipresent as God is, even here now they are present!”
“Don’t try another ripple for us.” PPO shouted over him.
“You all are an evidence for my case.” He said pointing to PPO and all present audiences. Then he added, “I would like to ask you all that is there any person who left their houses without any sort of worship, prayer, meditation or something like…, I believe nobody would’ve come here without any act of faith. And, this is my proof.”
“Make it clear.” PPO
“You all are my witness, as concrete as it should be according to prevailing law. I think everyone has gone with worship, am I right? Tell me if I’m wrong.” He turned looking to the people with question mark presented over there. Nobody said anything; rather there was a silence for a while.
Judge said to his Writer, note down, “Any witness or any evidence if not proven properly and by nature they are abstract in their form, which can’t be guaranteed any denial of occurrence. At some places and in remote cases any law or its section doesn’t seem to clarify the thing or seem going beyond any explanation, still, evidences can be worth self explainable.”
“Carry on..” Judge said.
“May I ask another thing to explain here as it’s too need explanation for my case?”
“Go on.” Judge allowed him.
“I would like to ask all persons present here - is there a single person who never scared of darkness, who never feared a ghost at any point of his live?” He faced audiences and stared for a moment.
Again a quiet moment.
“Your Honor, as I’ve demonstrated that the real truth exist more powerfully than that of solid evidences.” He said quite calmly.
“Note down” Judge said, “Witness and situation if not proven under due section or at prevailing traditions, it’s not correct to say they’re false. The convict is true as he says that all presents here in this court couldn’t deny his statement, so, therefore, all the presents here are to become his witness instantly, and they all are here included in this case as a witness, a partial witness in this case.”
That remark of court turned PPO puzzled as to where this case was going away. Turned to the convict and asked, “My learned culprit, could you tell why not all lovers be punished in charge of murder when they say- we’re dead in love! What would you like to say, isn’t it a killing?”
Nobody tried to look for his watch, no one could hear the noises of ceiling fans, or even none could feel the hot and humid weather.
“Maybe there would have been a killing, but, this is more delighting.”
“I ask is that a killing or not?” PPO said firmly.
“Not a killing, because it’s a joining of two candles for more lights, for more happiness, in my case, the dark has vanished utterly. So, it was a killing. Next, IPC of 1860 suggests that ‘intention’ in an act of killing is important, as opposite to this ‘intention’, the lovers live blissfully rather being declined away.” He described peacefully.
“Your Honor, the learned convict uses articles all in his favor only, but when it comes to him, he seems to turn it down.” PPO then turned to him, “You know section 176 of IPC suggests that in a murder case a ‘body’ is a must as evidence. Where is your ‘body’ in all your killings?”
“I do agree with existing law Your Honor! I my cases, the subtle body was there, but I know our law doesn’t divide them into solid or subtle.”
“Interesting! Can you tell this court where these ghosts live, I mean their residential address.”
“Yes, they’re omnipresent, even here.”
“Well then, try to make it proof right now in this court.”
“This is not possible now, because my killings take place only in a meditation form or in a dream when they try to corrupt our dreams, that’s why nobody can see it, only myself is a witness, and only myself knows all about.”
Then PPO said, “I’ve no more question to ask Your Honor, I think, until now, it has been well proved that the convict is only a dreamer, he acts only in abstract form, a totally day dreamer. He needs a hospital, and not a jail. He needs a psychiatric and not a jailor.” He sat down on his chair comfortably.
The day had fallen significantly. The crowd was intense and watching these all with much ardent attention. No one could hear noises of fans or beautiful chirping of birds outside the hall.
The day was adjourned.
Next day, everyone was curious to know which way this case would turn. Who actually that young convict was! There were so many queries.
The fresh day started only with that man. The crowd was same as it was in the previous day.
“Would you like to ask him any question?” Judge asked to PPO, on which he denied raising any question further more from his side.
“Will you want to say anything?” Judge turned to the man standing in convict box.
“Justice Your Honor, Justice!”
Some moment passed out there with great excitement all around. The all present faces had only one question- what next? And, finally, Judge reached at his decision and voiced out clearly,
“After having a due consideration over this argument we had been here, this court comes to the point that the man, whose only name- Truth as we know and we do not know of his age, caste or creed or even anything of his residential proof or his parents, is a convict of IPC section 302. This court finds him committing crime under this section as his statement state of his self- conviction and charges to murder ghosts. At the same time, this court of law doesn’t find a space under which it can announce any punishment for the culprit. Therefore, the culprit is allowed to punish by himself only. This court is unable to award a punishment for him and utterly set him free to move out of there.”
The culprits Truth, signed on over the order sheet, then bow down and greeted the judge, and left out. He looked so peaceful and gracious.
PPO just unfastened his neck tie and said, “I think you’ll punish yourself by hanging yourself till death, the least punishment for you, this can help you. Am I right Mister … Truth?”
“I do not think that you’re right. I’ve involved myself in so much of destructive works, now on; I’ll be doing creative works only, my only punishment!”
And people saw him going away.
--------------------------------------------------------------
| Favourite this work | Favourite This Author |
|
Comments by other Members
|
GaiusCoffey
FrancescaChen
