1 1.QUEST FOR JUDGEMENT

Next day Raghav talked to the Judge, 'At the age of sixty-eight I am running in odd-weather and severe external conditions to meet officers in the police department to submit a charge sheet which can start hearing the case. They don't pay attention even after repeated requests. Some of them snub me like street beggars not caring what I say. They say that they have hundreds of cases and the charge sheet in your case will be submitted in turn. Please don't disturb us at work. You have not many years to survive and we take more care of young people who have been trapped in cases by some gentleman like you. They oblige when paid money which I won't do.'

Immediately someone present suggested that they only listen to the color of currency notes which should be minimum if you can't then you must suffer. None objected and all smiled or silently laughed. ' Lane 22 is another way to bypass the system' , commented another roughian type looking man in black coat. ' I saw his woman coming out from the bungalow of the judge late in the night, obviously getting a favourable verdict' the fellow added.

Raghav ignored comments on the way to the court and continued the next day, 'Sir I have already spent money running around in this case. No advocate here gave me right suggestions and misguided me for a long time. Quite often they said that judges go on leave frequently and persons like you must keep coming and going. I sit in the shade of the tree down below cursing myself for buying a car and also the wife who emotionally blackmailed me. 'But now you are being given a chance and you must feel satisfied. I must listen to other cases. Next date of hearing will be 10 O'clock on Friday. You come prepared. Your story has revealed many things which are getting ignored,' and the judge directed his attention to the head clerk who was dosing during the hearing. He heard in past many pathetic stories and knew beforehand that at the end nothing got finalized without consulting him. He was veteran in this court and actually decided the fate of many. Raghav came out and one advocate stopped him to say, "You speak well and must be a good lecturer of your subject. Court judgments are based on legal facts and not on narration of a story.

By lecturing politicians are able to sway and get votes for themselves and the party . Afterwards they fail to deliver and doom the hopes of people who believed. He gets rejected and becomes part of history in society."

"You have not quoted any previous judgments pronounced by other courts or mentioned any legal references. Judge refers to them only while giving a verdict as he has little time to research and find merit in the case. You are not from the legal fraternity and so you can't understand this." He added proudly.

"But each case is typical and different in nature and judges must be given the opportunity to understand this, which is defined by 'Principle of Natural Justice'. In my opinion you all try to make cases complicated and don't want to work hard to gather facts to be placed before court just like the group you referred to moments earlier. This can't result into fair justice," Raghav insisted

"You are speaking good and pleasing words. No judge has time to go through all the details and hardly pay attention to them. He frames opinion on the very first day of hearing and spends time to convince the wrongdoer that time is being spent to give justice. That's it, whether you like it or not. You seem to be special as the judge has allotted time for hearing when normally he starts getting ready for court. What's so special about you?' the person tried to poke.

Raghav was not perturbed and said, "According to me the judge was giving full attention to the case. He was confident and would be able to get a favorable order. He shortly started whistling the popular tune of an old melody 'main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya' (In life I followed what happened) and people standing around started doubting about the age he pronounced in court."

Some very close people reported this without any reaction. Raghav started thinking about the presentation of the case next day for two hours and wanted to limit it so that the judge didn't get annoyed and give bad judgment. He was nervous inside and felt wife was pinching his heart.

He recalled how bad he felt in the police station and did all that was told. He went to locate own car in the yard behind the police station. It was the most haphazard way of storing materials. He slipped and got deep scratches in legs and body. He felt it a national wastage when money was spent for financing purchases and given as loan for purchase of cars, tempo, trucks and mini buses which were damaged in road accidents or stolen from residential premises or lifted from market places when parked on road for shopping.

Definitely in-charge of the parking lot when he tried to know the time limit of parking. Thief had duplicate keys to temper the additional locking system. These activities were ignored by man on duty. Police also ignored this fact and searched for vehicles in different places. However, in his case the car was located quickly. In another case it was found out within a week because the owner was related to the Home Secretary.