Court - State Vs. A Nobody (2025) Movie Script

VISAKHAPATNAM
Silence!
Silence!
- Silence!
- Greetings, sir!
Case No. 16/2013.
State represented by
Bheemunipatnam Police Station
vs. Mettu Chandrasekhar, alias Chandu.
The defense's closing statement.
Considering the young age of the accused,
and the promising future
he has ahead of him,
I urge the Court to exercise compassion
in its judgment.
That's all, Your Honor.
The prosecution's evidence in this case,
witnesses, and defense arguments
have been examined thoroughly.
Taking everything into consideration,
the final judgment of this case
will be pronounced in the open court,
at the next hearing,
dated 29th July 2013 at 10 a.m.
What could be the punishment for this boy?
Damu seems determined to ensure
a minimum punishment of 14 years.
Isn't the judge a good guy?
I think he'd give him ten years.
What's this, brother?
One says ten years
and another says fourteen.
I don't get it.
What's the outcome
of the trial today, bro?
The final judgment will be delivered
next Monday.
Final judgment?
What's the case about, bro?
The POCSO case, brother.
- Is it about the Tagarapuvalasa girl?
- That's right.
I've heard about it. Sounds difficult.
My guy did nothing wrong, sir.
There was a similar tough case
in Vijayawada.
A senior lawyer named Mohan Rao
dealt with it nicely.
Someone like him
should've handled your case.
He could've been impactful.
Could you please share
Mr. Mohan Rao's number, sir?
Hey, I was just being casual.
With the judgment in just four days,
what can he do about this case?
This wouldn't work out.
What would they do staying in Vizag?
Just give them his number. Let them try.
I don't have Mr. Mohan Rao's number.
My guy might have
his assistant Teja's number.
I'll share it with you.
Hold this, please.
If we take on a case,
we will also be given a table.
Then we can eat peacefully.
It means that even to eat peacefully here
We need a case.
If you dream about getting cases,
why are you wasting time
dishing out quotes?
You'd be better off
trying elsewhere on your own.
Hello.
It's not that easy for a fresher
to get a case.
Suppose you win a case
while working with Mr. Mohan Rao,
you don't have to look for cases.
Instead, cases would come to you.
- Teja. The boss wants to see you.
- Boss?
- Sir?
- Teja.
Once you're done with lunch,
keep the 304A case bundle ready,
- and ask Lahari to be there.
- Okay, sir.
Also, take another date in the 498A case,
because the accused has not turned up.
- I'll join you shortly.
- Okay, sir.
Lahari.
Quick with your lunch.
He wants you on the 304A case.
Hello? Who's this?
Sir, my name is Shanmukh Reddy.
I'm calling from Vizag.
We want to speak with Mr. Mohan Rao
regarding our case.
Friday is the day after tomorrow, right?
Be here by Friday evening.
Saturday and Sunday are holidays.
He can discuss it with you in detail.
- We will call you on Friday, sir.
- Okay.
How is Friday viable for us, bro?
You should've told him
the judgment is on Monday.
If we do,
they'd ask us not to come at all.
Everyone is arguing cases
and we're counting bundles.
- Teja!
- Yes?
I asked Mr. Murali from your office
to make a notary document.
He said he'd send it with you.
Did you bring that?
- He gave it to me, but I didn't bring it.
- Why?
I don't touch notary documents.
- Better find someone else to get it.
- Teja...
There is a cross-examination
of our 304A case.
- My boss is coming.
- My boss was discussing that.
I just heard him asking why Mr. Mohan Rao
is not opting for a settlement.
When I asked him that,
- he asked me to mind my business.
- Listen.
I don't get what questions
could be posed regarding this case.
It's clear that the lorry driver
caused the accident.
Hey, Koti!
My boss would never take up a case
if he can't win it.
Mr. Mohan Rao, I don't have the right
to tell you not to argue a case.
But the other party
has suffered a loss of life.
Please show some kindness.
Kindness has nothing to do
with justice, Your Honor.
When we were in law college,
we were told that there is no need to
remove shoes outside the court hall,
but kindness, pity, and compassion
should definitely be left outside.
That holds true even now.
Your Honor, if you please allow me,
I'll start with my cross-examination.
- Proceed.
- Thank you.
Salutations, sir.
What was your relationship
with the late Venkata Ramana?
- He was my father, sir.
- Please tell us what happened to him.
He died when he was hit by a lorry
while crossing the road.
Shall I tell you what questions
my boss is going to ask?
At the site of the accident...
Is there a signboard...
With your village's name on it?
I mean,
is there a board with your
village name Rayapadu and an arrow mark?
No, sir.
At that location,
are there any zebra crossing lines?
I mean, white lines on the road,
indicating you can cross the road.
Are there any such lines?
Nothing like that.
Driver
Was he drunk driving?
- No, sir.
- What mistake did he commit, then?
Why did you even file this case?
He was speeding and hit my dad.
Your Honor, the speed limit
on that highway is 100 kmph.
But the lorry speed was at 110 kmph.
So the police filed an FIR
under section 304A,
and charged the driver
with negligent driving.
When the lorry was seized...
Its cargo weight was noted as 8.2 tons
by the same police
in their final declaration.
But, according to the calculations of
Automotive Research Association of India,
the maximum speed a lorry
with 8.2 tons of cargo can go...
Is 80 kmph.
So, there was no chance of
excessive speeding.
To reduce the existing speed,
there were no signboards
or zebra crossing lines.
Crossing the highway without
any precautionary measures is a mistake.
Therefore, negligently and irresponsibly,
without following road safety rules,
Venkata Ramana made a mistake.
Why should the lorry driver...
Pay compensation?
Why should he settle out of court?
We can continue the case
if the prosecution can answer this.
Otherwise, I request the Honorable Court
to dismiss the case right here
and hand over the seized vehicle
to the driver with immediate effect.
Any questions?
No, Your Honor.
The prosecution has failed
to prove section 304A.
- Hence, the case is dismissed.
- How?
Thank you, My Lord.
You're smart enough to guess
how your boss will handle a case.
You've been with him for three years.
Why hasn't he given you a single case?
Oh God! Even you are asking this question.
- I mean...
- He is asking the right thing.
You tell me one thing.
If he'd given me today's case
I would've made
the same argument, right?
- Yeah, right.
- Yeah!
Who knows? He's probably
waiting for me to ask for it.
We just received a land dispute case.
I will ask him to give me that case.
Will you let me know
when he's in a good mood in his chamber?
- You'll message me, won't you?
- I will.
This is a land dispute case.
The hearing is due next week.
Who can take this up?
Murali, what cases
are you handling currently?
A check bounce case, a family court case,
a land dispute and a 460 case.
- Ramana, what about you?
- Sir!
One eve-teasing case,
one financial fraud and theft case, sir.
- Krishnaveni?
- Sir
You are very busy
with the rape case hearings, right?
That's right, sir.
I'll take this case up myself. Carry on.
LAHARI: COME IN
- Excuse me, sir.
- Yes?
Sir, I would like to individually
Handle a case.
If you're okay with it,
I'd like to take up
that land dispute case.
I don't have any problem assigning you
an individual case, Teja.
I'll be happy to.
But, before that,
I've got a question for you.
I'll give you the case
if you give me the right answer.
- Please go ahead, sir.
- Listen!
A train is running on a track.
There is a man on the same track.
You're standing
near the track-changing lever.
If you pull the lever,
the train will shift to another track.
There are five people on that other track.
They'll all die.
If you don't pull the lever,
only one will die.
So
Tell me.
Will you save one guy?
Or will you save five people?
Sir, the lives of five people are
more important than that of one person.
So, I'll save those five.
What's up with you, son?
If you're worried
that your son will end up
handling only notary cases
like your husband,
you may forget it.
Your son is set to be a lawyer soon!
Why? Is your Mohan Rao giving you a case?
He almost did.
What do you mean by "almost"?
He asked me a question
and asked me to answer it.
Your intelligent son
answered it in a jiffy.
He'll give me the case tomorrow.
Very nice.
- Did you eat?
- I ate just now. Did you?
I ate, son.
COURTHOUSE
VIJAYAWADA
Sir. I wanted to ask about the case.
You wanted to kill one guy
and save five people, right?
Yes sir.
Actually, those five are
antisocial elements.
They've killed a few people.
The case is still on.
They'll surely be punished.
Now, tell me.
Will you save those five or the one?
Sir, one innocent civilian life is
more important than those five criminals.
So, I'll kill those five
and save the civilian.
Let's go.
Get the copy from the clerk
and come to the office.
Sir, actually
- That case
- Case?
You chose to kill
those five and save the one, right?
- Yes, sir.
- There's a land with 600 families.
These five killed the officers who were
giving away the land to a private group,
and stopped those families
from losing their homes.
Now, those families need
the support of these five, Teja.
What will you do now?
Will you save these five or the one?
I'll kill the one
and save these five, sir.
Sir. Excuse me, sir.
Regarding that case
You said you'd save those five
and kill the one, right?
Yes, sir. I feel that's right.
Now
The land for which
these five became rebels,
was, in fact, given to them
by that one man.
He's their father, Teja.
Now tell me.
Whom will you choose to save?
Think about it.
MOM
- Mom!
- What's up, my son?
What's your Mohan Rao
saying about the case?
Did he give it to you?
- Not yet, Mom.
- It's all right.
Did you eat something?
- Not yet. I will.
- Why do you sound sad?
Nothing, Mom. I'm good.
Did your Mohan Rao scold you?
I now understand
why Dad is still doing notary services.
What?
Nothing. I'll call you later.
Hey! Teja!
- Teja. Check who just came in.
- Sir.
Yes?
- We are here to meet Mr. Teja?
- That's me.
- We are from Vizag.
- Oh! You called me, right?
Have a seat.
What's your case about?
Oh! Is it an on-going case?
Has the trial begun?
The final judgment is on Monday.
Final judgment?
What's the case about?
POCSO?
Who is the accused?
- He is like a brother to me.
- Where is he?
- He is in remand, sir.
- Remand?
Remand and the final judgment?
What are you saying?
He has been in remand since his arrest.
- He should've gotten bail.
- He didn't get it.
He has been in remand
for the past 78 days.
All right. Let me speak with my boss.
Aren't you late for school, honey?
Hey!
What, Dad?
Hey! Did you see that?
We're planning to send him to college
once he completes 12th grade
but he's picking up new habits
and becoming a rogue.
Always scrolling the internet!
He's mixing with those idiots
and becoming one of them.
Reddy should be blamed.
He's married. He shouldn't be
hanging out with these kids.
Shut up, Dad!
What's this nonsense on New Year's Day?
I'm doing my job and earning for myself.
Great work you're doing.
What's your job again?
Hey! Going to work and going to the office
are two very different things.
- How long will you do this nameless job?
- Don't speak about my job, Dad.
We serve as secondary support
for corporate branches.
It is called brand promotion.
I buy my own clothes
and pay the motorbike loan myself.
I don't depend on you for anything.
Why do you keep nagging me to study?
Hey!
I'll be a laborer all my life.
No matter how much she studies,
she'll leave our house after marriage.
Without an educated person in the family,
this house will remain like this forever.
Thinking that only educated people
become great is a myth.
Take this land owner Surya Narayana.
What did he study? Didn't he earn a lot?
I was foolish to expect you
to become a good person.
- Mom, I'm off.
- Be careful.
- Mom?
- Yes?
Is every day the same for your husband?
- Always on my case!
- Son
I see nothing wrong
with my husband's and son's actions.
- You guys sort it out.
- All right.
- Where are the shampoo sachets?
- We probably ran out.
Your husband has time to scold me
but not to buy shampoo sachets.
Go and get them, son.
Bro, give me shampoo sachets.
- Are these the only greeting cards?
- Yes. Only those are available.
Hey, Chandu.
- Happy New Year.
- Yeah. Happy New Year.
What's going to change now?
Just the calendars.
- Characters won't change!
- Whatever!
- Mom, is there no hot water?
- No, dear.
Am I supposed to take a cold water bath?
- Come on! You can boil it now.
- No time. I have an event to attend.
At least iron my shirt.
- What's this sudden surprise?
- Who's the guy?
- He was acting smart near the shop.
- Who do you mean?
- Oh! Brother Chandu.
- Brother?
Oh! Is he that close?
He is our neighbor
and helps us out sometimes.
Oh! Do you have his number?
Yes, I do.
Let me have it.
- What for?
- Just give it to me.
- No.
- Give me, I say.
When someone wished you
a Happy New Year,
was it necessary to give such a reply?
Hey! Who the hell are you?
Why do you care?
Why are you shirtless?
Don't you have the habit
of wearing a shirt?
Or do you think you've got
a body like Hrithik Roshan's?
First, wear a shirt.
- You can say punch lines later.
- Hey!
Where are you calling from?
- Oh my God! Hang up.
- Hey!
Hey, why did you do this?
What if he finds out
it was my friend who called him?
How would he come to know?
- Will you tell him?
- Why would I?
Will you guys tell him?
- No.
- We will not.
Why are you worried? Sit.
Your house is 35 kilometers away.
I live nearby. If something happens,
it will affect me first.
Nothing will happen, dear.
Go away.
Sit right.
Did you put the soft drinks
in the fridge?
Yes, I did.
- Brother, what soft drinks do you have?
- Thums Up!
Hey! Your brother-in-law
doesn't like Thums Up.
- Get Mirinda.
- Hey! Get Mirinda. Quickly!
Okay, sir.
More than my daughter's birthday,
your husband's tantrums became a big deal.
He stays four lanes away. We speak daily.
Still, if he's coming to my home,
it's chaos.
I work with him daily at the mill.
Do I need to work for him even here?
I don't get it.
Brother-in-law is here.
Come, Brother-in-law.
- Has that cargo left?
- Yes, Brother-in-law. It has left.
- Welcome, Son-in-law.
- Hello, Father-in-law? What's up?
I got nothing.
You should be telling me.
What's up with the land issue
in Chittivalasa?
That one?
That's not resolved yet.
I've informed our guys there.
People who are wearing black coats
and khakis are waiting for us.
I asked them to file
a complaint with the SI.
I told them to meet
our lawyer Damu, if necessary.
Why do you want to go to court
for this small issue?
Of course you'd say that.
You gave judgments in the past
as the village elder.
But now, we can get our things done
only through courts and police stations.
Don't worry. I will take care of that.
Your granddaughter
was born on the first of January.
Where is the birthday girl?
There she is.
Come on. Let's cut the cake.
Have mutton, Brother-in-law.
Mutton?
Mutton?
- What happened, Brother-in-law?
- Shut up!
You bloody idiot!
You are asking me what happened?
Why would you dress a girl like that?
Why is it sleeveless?
What if my two daughters ask
for the same type of dress in the future?
What should I do then?
Our pride is reflected
in how our girls dress.
Raising them well elevates
our respect in society.
Learn how to dress your daughter properly,
then talk to me about eating mutton!
Eat mutton, he says!
Fine, he didn't realize what he brought.
But what's wrong with you ladies?
Shouldn't you have corrected him?
Why are you standing still?
Change her dress first.
Go inside, dear.
It's not easy to raise a daughter.
Be careful.
Serve the mutton now.
Bro, someone called me this morning
and got me all riled up.
- Let's settle scores with her.
- Who's that?
Whoa! She hung up.
Customer care.
Who the hell is she?
Let me try again.
Jeez! She hung up again.
It's the customer care again.
Okay, Father-in-law.
I couldn't tell whose birthday it is.
Hers or his?
What can we do?
The head of this family believes
that man is the one in charge.
I wish Dad were alive.
Who the hell is she?
How dare she mess with me?
Now she's calling me again.
- Hello?
- Why are you calling me at night?
- Acting smart?
- Why not? Were you with your husband?
Hey! Don't talk rubbish.
What do you mean, "husband"?
Apologize to me first.
Yeah, right!
Like I have nothing better to do.
What else do you do then?
How much is this phone?
It's 2,500 rupees,
but we're giving it away for just 2,000!
Why does it cost 2000?
Why, you ask? This guy has the answer.
- Hey, tell him.
- Come, I'll tell you.
- Hello?
- Got it. You sell phones. Right?
Of course!
If you don't do well in school,
you'll end up in sales and marketing.
Look at me speaking to you
about education.
How stupid of me!
Then why are you talking to me
instead of focusing on your studies?
This says a lot about your education.
Hey! Stop acting smart
and apologize to me twice.
Apologize twice? Why would I?
If not you, then who?
- Hey! Who the hell are you?
- Why do you care who I am?
You said the wrong thing. So apologize.
I said something wrong?
Who started it first?
Is this how you speak to girls?
Where are your manners?
Manners?
You're out here telling some stranger
how to wear his clothes,
and I'm the one lacking manners?
If you walk around
like a clueless buffalo without a shirt,
someone will call it out!
Buffalo, huh? Who do you think you are?
What does it matter to you?
- First apologize twice to me.
- What's with your two apologies?
- Sir. Ordering beers?
- Yes. What beers do you have?
We have all the usual brands
but there's a new one in the market.
It's so smooth.
As a part of the launch offer,
you'll get chips for free.
- Is that so? Then get me two beers.
- Yes.
Bro! Two bottles on this table!
- Bro.
- Hello?
Since we're selling so many beers,
do you think we can score two for free?
- Yes, sure.
- Yeah.
Yes, tell me. What's your problem?
You sold phones earlier.
I expected SIM cards or chargers
this time.
- But beer? That's low! Yuck!
- What do you mean yuck?
Why are you bothered with what I sell?
Do you think selling beer is that easy?
Try selling it yourself, and you'll know.
You nasty idiot!
Why would I sell such a nasty thing?
Nasty? Won't your dad be drinking it?
Go and tell him it's nasty.
Hey! I'll hit you with slippers
if you talk about my dad!
Good-for-nothing idiot!
Why are you bothered about my dad?
Hang up!
They why are you bothered about me?
That guy over there is wondering what
to do if one drink doesn't get him buzzed.
Ask him to drink one more.
I'll be needing another 60,000.
Why so late?
I got held up writing my record
at college.
You were supposed
to get back home on time.
You're the eldest in the household.
Whatever you do today,
your five younger siblings
will take after you.
- Got it?
- Yeah.
Be careful.
Why bother her unnecessarily?
I'll apologize and be done with it.
Wait.
- Hey, Nithya!
- Brother!
What's he doing here?
Hey! Who do you think got us the tickets?
It's him.
You asked for tickets for our group.
Now, he brought his group too.
Look at them. They look so weird.
They're all our friends, dear.
They're not bad.
Hello, brother.
- Six for you, and six for us.
- Okay.
It's time for the show. Let's go.
Don't rush.
You'll have to push through the crowd.
Let's wait and go in calmly.
Be careful if you step out
during the interval.
Hey! My dad is here!
- Where?
- Where is he?
Here. He sounds just like my dad.
Joke all you want, but be careful.
What's with this nagging?
You're talking
like you're an expert on girls.
I don't know much about girls.
But I do know about guys.
They're absolutely crazy.
So let's wait and get in.
Dude, whistle!
Nithya, sit here.
Come here.
Wow!
YOUNG REBEL STAR
PRABHAS
Our Prabhas!
Let's love them, dude.
What's there to lose?
They might even love us back.
- Hello?
- Hello?
- Is that you who's talking?
- Why do you doubt that?
I thought you'd start scolding me
the moment I answered.
Seems like you'll be upset
if I don't scold you.
Why did you call me the other day?
Sorry. Sorry again.
That's twice like you asked.
I'm sorry, too.
Why are you apologizing?
You're not as stupid as I thought.
So, you mean
- Does that mean I'm a little stupid?
- Aren't you?
Okay, then. I've got to go.
Hello...
What's your name?
Jaabili.
Jaabili
Hey, he's always on the phone these days!
- Who's he talking to?
- No idea.
How could you not know?
You two are always together.
Not just me, even he doesn't know.
How long are you going to
keep talking over the phone?
Why don't you meet me?
I will. When the time is right.
- Don't you have a boyfriend?
- No.
Why not?
What do you want me to say?
- The heart must choose someone.
- The heart?
Does that even exist?
I've only heard about it in songs.
Never seen it for real.
Tell me where to find it.
I'd like to take a look.
Really?
What else?
- Start searching.
- Okay, sir.
- What are you looking for, sir?
- What's this?
Sir, it's marijuana!
- Where did it come from?
- Are you smuggling marijuana in milk cans?
I swear, I have no idea
where it came from.
We don't know anything about it, sir!
Sir, please listen...
Hey! If you have something to say,
come to the police station.
- People here can vouch for us, sir!
- Let's go.
- Brother, I have no idea what's going on!
- Dear
Don't worry.
Let's ask Mr. Mangapathi for help.
Sir...
Narayana.
I spoke with them. It's a narcotics case.
A pretty serious one.
They say remand is unavoidable.
He'll be in jail for 28 days.
I'll speak with my lawyer Damu.
Why should I be in prison for 28 days?
I haven't done anything wrong, sir.
I know that, Narayana.
You didn't do anything wrong.
But your son did.
What did my son do?
He did something. Call him here..
Hey! Come here!
What were you doing
near the school this evening?
Me? What did I do, sir?
Outside the school gate
You gave my daughter a letter. Didn't you?
What's going on?
Hey, Keerthi.
You forgot your worksheet in the class.
How will you write the exam tomorrow?
Oh no! I forgot. Thanks!
Oh no! That wasn't a letter!
It was just a worksheet, sir.
This is just a misunderstanding.
You and my daughter are aware
that it's just a worksheet.
But any bystander
will assume it's a love letter.
He'll spread the news
in the entire village.
"Milk vendor Narayana's son
wrote a love letter
to Mr. Mangapathi's daughter."
That's all it takes!
And then the whole village will gossip.
They shouldn't talk about this.
What did Mangapathi do
when he found out about the letter?
That should be the discussion.
Now, the whole village
will talk about this.
Instead of discussing
whether you gave a letter,
I'd rather they focus on
what Mangapathi did next.
Hey! I can't stop people from gossiping,
but I can definitely change
the subject of their gossip.
Got it?
Now, this will be the new topic.
Let them talk.
You won't meet me even if I ask,
but at least share your Facebook ID.
I'll tell you when the time is right.
- What are you doing?
- I'm eating upma.
Yuck! Upma! I don't like it at all.
You don't like it? Why not?
How do you even know you don't like it?
What do you mean?
It's a feeling.
You just don't like some things.
The thing inside you that determines
your feelings? That's your heart.
You can't see it or hear it,
but it's always calling the shots.
You're quite smart, aren't you?
Why don't you find a better job?
That's the problem.
A job would shackle my freedom
and I refuse to live like that.
How long will you keep doing
these part-time gigs as full-time work?
Once I gain enough experience,
I'll start my own
event management company.
That's my goal.
I'm saving up for that.
Big ambitions.
See? That's how you talk to girls, dude.
Let's go.
Why is your name so different?
Jaabili.
Never heard it before.
Who named you?
My mother.
She loves the moon and moonlight.
So she named me Jaabili,
which means the same.
Ma'am, are these the clothes?
Yes, these are the ones.
Take them, Chandu.
Hey, Jaabili! Did you go through
- the skeleton muscle structure?
- Jaabili...
- Did you understand it?
- Yes.
I don't get it!
Who called and stressed you out?
Customer care.
Customer care?
Yeah. Hello?
I'm calling from customer care.
How can I help you?
Will you stop that?
- Is it the right time?
- Not really, but you're forcing it anyway.
Whatever! I'm glad it finally happened.
- Will you meet me now?
- Yes, I will.
- When the time is right.
- This again? How much longer?
I will decide when is the right time
for us to meet.
Okay, wait. I'll call once I reach home.
Okay.
The mobile number you dialed
is currently switched off or unavailable.
The mobile you are trying to reach
is currently switched off...
Oh! Group studies?
No more group studies. Our exams are over!
We're just chilling!
Oh!
The mobile is currently switched off
or unavailable.
Why's Nithya calling?
Hello?
Really? Where?
I'll be there.
- Hey! Where are you going?
- I'll be back soon.
Yeah! You should face
whatever comes your way!
Hey! Brother Chandu is here.
Hi!
Happy birthday, Nithya!
Happy birthday!
Is it done?
Is that so?
What's wrong with your phone?
It fell and broke,
so I sent it for repair.
You're acting like it's no big deal?
Do you know how worried I was?
What else did you feel?
I don't know how to explain it.
It's a different feeling.
I've never felt it before.
I don't even know what to call it.
If I feel the same, do you know
what that feeling is called?
Uncle, can you get my phone repaired?
Okay, dear.
- Uncle, my phone
- Sorry, I'll get it tomorrow.
Uncle, my phone?
We'll get it tomorrow.
Hey, Jaabili!
Nithya called you.
Today is her birthday. Won't you go?
Didn't you invite anyone else?
Who else? These are our friends.
I thought you'd invite
your brother Chandu.
Oh! Thanks for reminding me.
So you didn't come here
because she called.
I wanted you to be here,
so I made sure you came.
Now tell me, what is this feeling called?
If you had asked me four days ago,
I'd have said, "Let the time come."
But now, I feel like the time has come.
Tell me.
Moonlight pours down
In endless streams
If I hold it close,
How magical it seems
My little heart, so light and free
Like the breeze that hums so tenderly
How magical it seems
These eyes are books
Silent letters without a language
Words I understand through your looks
Footsteps with no past
Reasons that never existed
New alphabets of love
So many wonders!
Stories were told, poems were written
Centuries passed, wars were fought
But love was never a mistake
Stories were told, poems were written
Centuries passed, wars were fought
But love was never a mistake
Moonlight pours down
In endless streams
If I hold it close,
How magical it seems
- Mom, she is Jaabili.
- Jaabili?
She's the one who talks to me
on the phone every day.
Mom! Dad will be home soon!
Do you wish to touch the sky?
Come, let me show you that joy
Can we possibly visit
Every place on earth?
Isn't love enough for us?
If the clouds became branches
And showered flowers upon us
That rain is love
Its home is our hearts
Don't question the mind or seek proof
Just feel it
Stories were told, poems were written
Centuries passed, wars were fought
Watching the love of my life
and the sea together is a unique feeling.
Stories were told, poems were written
Centuries passed, wars were fought
But love was never a mistake
I watched the movie "Murari" on TV
this morning.
I was thinking only about wedding
as I watched it.
- I'm already mentally married to you.
- What?
Did you say you'd go mad
if you married me?
Idiot! It means,
I already feel like we're married.
- Fool!
- Okay, then.
I'm not attending
the EAMCET class tomorrow.
- Why?
- I'm attending my cousin's wedding.
All right, go.
I'm going to wear a saree
to that wedding.
What do distances mean
If our feet become wings?
Are there chains that can bind us
When our souls wander in dreams?
If the stars fell to the earth
And stood before you
Won't they stay back
Thinking the moon reached here
By mistake
Just feel it
Stories were told, poems were written
Centuries passed, wars were fought
But love was never a mistake
Stories were told, poems were written
Centuries passed, wars were fought
But love was never a mistake
Excuse me, sir.
Sir, I told you about
a case in Vizag the other day.
They're here. Here is their case file.
I'll go through it.
Ask them to come tomorrow evening.
But Monday is the final judgment.
- POCSO?
- Yes, sir.
If we take this case, do we have to be
in Vizag court on Monday?
Yes, sir.
Okay. Ask them to come tomorrow evening.
- Okay, sir.
- By the by,
does this file have
the depositions and cross-examinations?
Yes, sir.
Send the people
related to the Nuzvid case.
Okay, sir.
- Please go in.
- Okay, sir.
He will talk to you tomorrow.
Come in the evening.
We'll wait, no matter how late it gets.
I understand your pain.
It's not about waiting.
He will review the file first,
then he'll talk with you.
It's okay. Come back tomorrow.
Let's go.
Mr. Mohan Rao went out.
He'll be back. Please sit.
- I'll call him.
- Okay, sir.
He isn't answering. Please wait.
He'll be back soon.
Make a copy of Jitu vs. Union of India.
I'll be right back.
- Sir, can you call him again?
- I'll call you back.
He'll get mad if I keep calling.
I'll let you know when he calls.
I understand you're stressed.
I've gone through your case file.
Forget what's already in there.
Tell me your side of the story.
Oh dear! Time is flying!
She must be waiting. I need to go.
Hey! If Reddanna comes here,
tell him I went home.
Take care of it here.
What, dude? That girl's been visiting
your house every day.
What if there's no one at home?
What are you trying to say?
Suppose your mom and sister
are not at home
then you'll be alone with that girl
in your house.
What would happen then?
I see where you're going.
Don't overthink.
Nothing cinematic is happening.
I've seen plenty of films just like this.
- Just drop me home.
- Come on.
Dude, stop at the pharmacy.
Need to pick up some meds for my grandma.
- Jaabili is calling. Hurry up.
- Coming, dude.
- Hello?
- Hello?
Where are you? I've already reached.
I'm almost there. I'll get there soon.
- Hurry up.
- Okay.
Come fast.
- What are you doing, Mom?
- Can't you see?
I'm just playing around.
- Where are you coming from?
- From the internet cafe.
Always lingering around that place!
Won't you do anything worthwhile?
Brother, Dad will be here soon.
Ask the girl to step out.
Which girl, sir?
There's no one here.
I think you've got the wrong address.
Quiet! You don't know anything.
They know everything.
I said, bring her out!
Will you call her,
or should I drag her out?
Which girl?
Who's the girl?
Jaabili! What's going on?
Why are you here?
- Who are they?
- Who is this girl?
You said you were going to class.
Why are you here?
Who's that girl?
What are you doing in their house?
- Aunty! Aunty!
- Hey!
- Whom are you calling aunty?
- Stop it.
Don't lay a hand on him.
Show some respect!
Get lost!
Your son is behaving disgracefully,
and you're talking about respect?
Hey!
How dare you talk back!
- Take him.
- Sir, what's happening?
The girl is 17 years and 8 months old.
She's a minor. Taking her anywhere
without her parents' consent is a crime.
- So, we're arresting your son.
- Arrest?
If you have anything to say,
come to the station.
- Sir!
- Sir!
Sir, let me go.
I can put your whole family behind bars
for aiding a minor's kidnapping.
But we're only taking him.
- Sir, please listen.
- Get him in the jeep.
That's our mercy.
- Come on.
- Sir!
He didn't do it intentionally.
Please let him go.
Mom!
Please help us, ma'am!
- I beg you.
- Mom!
- Sir!
- Please let him go just this once.
- Sir, please let him go.
- Mom!
Please forgive him, sir!
- What happened, dear?
- I don't know, Mom.
- Chandu!
- Mom!
Mom!
Mom!
What are you doing? Please, stop.
Hey!
You think our family's reputation
is a joke?
How dare you ruin our family's reputation?
We sent you to study.
But you're roaming around with some guy!
What about our honor!
Who will marry a girl from this household?
- Reddy.
- The boy's family is here.
I stopped them outside.
What do we do with the boy?
What else? File a case against him!
Okay, I'll do that.
What charges should we file?
What's your complaint?
What's the girl's statement?
I need all these details.
Once I talk to the girl,
then we'll decide what to do.
I'll bring her.
Come. Get in the vehicle.
- Where are we going?
- The police station.
Why?
The police need her statement
to file a case against him.
A case?
So, my daughter has to keep running
to the court and the police station?
Yes. Otherwise, how will we get justice?
That won't be necessary.
Just warn the boy and let him go.
What did you say? Let him go?
Why should I let him go?
Do you understand
what you saw with your own eyes?
He took her into his room!
Do you get it now?
Who the hell is he?
The son of a mere watchman.
And you want me to spare him?
If I do that, more boys
will be at our doorstep tomorrow,
asking to take our daughters out.
Should I send them too?
Do whatever you want.
But I won't send my daughter
to police stations and court.
If necessary, I'll even pull her out
of school and keep her home.
The girl makes a mistake,
and the mother supports her.
What do you say, Father-in-law?
What are you staring at?
What should we do?
Why are you silent?
- That
- What?
Please make sure this doesn't get out,
Son-in-law.
Something must be done.
It can't get out.
We'll handle it.
Hey, Damu.
Where are you?
We need to go to the police station.
Give them the file I gave you.
Give me a paper.
This is the complaint. File an FIR.
Note down the law sections.
Section 366A,
procuration of a minor girl.
Section 354A,
sexual harassment of a girl.
Section 354B,
criminal force against a girl.
Section 354C,
voyeurism and blackmailing a girl.
Section 354D,
stalking a girl.
And
sections 11 and 12 of
POCSO Act.
POCSO Act?
POCSO?
But the girl was with his family.
Does POCSO even apply in this case?
Putting an arm on someone's shoulder
is just friendship.
If an adult boy over eighteen
takes his hand and puts it on a girl
who is not yet eighteen,
it falls under POCSO Act.
Even if the girl comes to court tomorrow
and declares it was not the boy's fault
and she placed his hand there herself
he'll still be punished.
That's POCSO.
He's 19 years old. File the case.
I will tell you about the witnesses
and evidence later.
Once you go through the complaint,
I'll get it signed by the girl's mother.
Meanwhile...
Make sure he agrees
to whatever is written in the complaint.
Use your methods.
If he confesses,
you won't even need me in court.
One more thing.
The girl won't be coming to court.
Keep that in mind while handling this.
How will this work if she doesn't testify?
We can take the case forward
under the POCSO Act.
But the judge won't pass a verdict
without speaking to her.
I'll handle that, OK?
I'll take care of it.
Just do as I said.
Let's go.
What's this, sir? Who is he?
He used to be a junior lawyer
with Mangapathi's father.
Now, he's a senior lawyer
in the district court.
Even so, how can he dictate
what we should do?
If he doesn't, Mangapathi will.
You okay with that?
Have you ever seen Damu argue in court?
No.
That's why you're talking like this.
Once you see him in action,
you'll understand.
I've been watching you all.
You seem really stressed.
There's nothing to worry about.
They'll keep him here overnight.
They'll have him sign an agreement
promising not to repeat this
and release him.
Don't worry.
Why are so many people here?
Just one or two can stay.
- The rest can leave.
- Okay, sir.
Will you accept the charges
against you, or not?
- Hey! Turn around!
- Sir!
Please drink it, Aunty.
- You haven't eaten since the afternoon.
- No, dear.
- Drink it.
- They said they'd let him go.
- Please drink.
- You need your strength.
Sir, please don't hit me!
- Sir! Please don't hit me.
- Will you accept?
- Sir!
- Hold him properly.
Will you accept the charges, or not?
Sir!
Mom!
Here's the complaint. Please sign it.
Your daughter won't need to come to court
but you'll have to come
and explain why she can't.
I'll explain what you need to say later.
Son-in-law, please think this through.
You once delivered judgments
as the village elder,
and now you speak like a guilty man.
See how far you've fallen!
And now you're telling me to reconsider?
Shame on you!
If you let me do my job,
you'll have your respect.
Just sign it!
What's this?
Why is he limping?
Chandu! What happened?
- Mom!
- What happened to your leg, dear?
- Where are you taking him?
- What happened, sir?
Please let him go, sir.
Please let me speak to them.
- Mom!
- Hey, move!
- Get him into the vehicle!
- Chandu!
- Wait a minute, sir!
- Chandu!
- Bro!
- Chandu!
What's your education level?
12th grade, ma'am.
What's your percentage?
I flunked the exam, ma'am.
Fourteen days judicial remand.
Yeah.
Greetings, sir.
Remove your belt and wallet.
Hey! What's in your pocket?
- A wallet? Take it out.
- Sir
Give it here. What's this?
Take off your belt.
- Come. Take him inside.
- Sir!
One minute, sir.
Sir.
What is it?
- Move.
- Come on!
- Sir!
- Take him inside.
Sir...
The SI is here.
A case has been filed against your boy.
He's in judicial custody for 14 days.
We've sent him to sub-jail.
If you have anything to say,
bring your lawyer and say it in court.
My men will inform you
about the next hearing.
- Here's a copy of the FIR.
- Sir!
What's the case? Why is it going to court?
They said they'd let him go.
I don't understand
what's going on here.
Hello, sir.
- Mr. Ramakrishna sent us.
- Yes, he told me. Take a seat.
Woah!
What's this?
Are they seeking justice or revenge?
What are these sections?
This is a tough case.
- Sir!
- It's all right.
We'll deal with this in court.
It's my job to get your friend released.
Let's apply for bail, first.
The fee would be around 50,000 rupees.
Is that okay?
We're fine with it.
- Go ahead.
- Mr. Siva Ram.
I'm glad you've taken up this case.
I want you to argue this case
until the final judgment.
But
I must win.
Let's come to an understanding
and deal with this case properly.
POCSO session!
Case no. 16/2013.
State represented by
Bheemunipatnam Police Station
vs. Mettu Chandrasekhar, alias Chandu.
K.S. Damodar, prosecutor on behalf
of the complainant, Your Honor.
D. Siva Ram,
advocate for the accused, Your Honor.
Read the complaint.
"To the respected CI
of Bheemunipatnam police station,
"Sir,
here's a brief for your consideration.
"My name is Meruvalli Seetha Ratnam.
"I live in Tagarapuvalasa
in Bheemunipatnam Mandal
"in Vishakhapatnam District.
"My daughter Meruvalli Jaabili
"has completed 12th grade
and travels daily by bus
"to an institute in Vishakhapatnam
for EAMCET coaching.
"Today, i.e., on 9th March 2013,
"at around 12:30 p.m.
"while she was waiting for the bus
near the Dwaraka Bus Station
"in Vishakhapatnam RTC complex,
"a guy on a motorbike approached her,
threatened her,
"forced her onto the motorbike,
and took her away.
"Devudu Babu, a resident of our village,
"witnessed the incident
and called us immediately.
"He also noted down the motorbike number,
which is AP 31 DL 7347.
"Please accept my complaint,
"and take appropriate action
to save my daughter.
Yours sincerely, M. Seetha Ratnam."
- Prosecution.
- Yes, Your Honor.
Acting on the complaint,
the police arrested the accused.
And through the victim Jaabili
and her friends, it was found
that this guy had been after this girl
for quite some time,
and was coercing her
to have a physical relationship with him.
He was blackmailing her
that he'd upload her morphed photos online
if she didn't comply, Your Honor.
Police are investigating this aspect.
They need some time
to file a charge sheet.
Defense.
The bail application is submitted,
Your Honor.
Your Honor!
I want to make one point
very clear to this Honorable Court.
This case has to be dealt
with the utmost sensitivity.
As we all know, the victim is a minor.
The accused is blackmailing
a minor girl, Your Honor!
In this situation,
if bail is granted and he's released,
there is every possibility of him
making irreversible mistakes,
which can never, ever be undone!
Granting him bail
is risking the minor girl's dignity,
credibility, integrity, modesty
and self-respect, Your Honor.
Someone who is roaming freely
cannot be restricted from using
the internet, Your Honor.
If he's released on bail,
and uses the internet,
and does something else
to harm the girl
Nobody in this court can do her justice!
That must be taken into account
when deciding whether to grant bail.
That's all, Your Honor!
Bail rejected!
Thank you, Your Honor!
Sir! Sir!
Whatever they said inside
the court is all lies.
Even the judge knows that.
My job is to prove it wrong. I will.
Come to my office in the evening
and pay me.
Your Honor.
On May 9th,
before taking the victim, Jaabili,
from the bus stop forcefully,
the accused, Chandu, stopped
at a chemist's shop.
LW4, Mr. Chinna Rao, will tell us
what happened over there, Your Honor.
Tell us, Mr. Chinna Rao.
What happened at your shop on May 9th?
- Come fast, Jaabili's call.
- Coming, dude.
Brother, give me a packet.
It isn't for me. It's for my friend.
All right.
The guy said he bought it
for his friend, sir.
No, no, no. Be clear, Mr. Chinna Rao.
What did he buy? Please specify.
- Condoms, sir!
- What?
I didn't catch that. Say it louder.
- Condoms, sir.
- Condoms! Condoms!
The accused bought condoms, Your Honor.
Why? Does a condom serve
any other purpose than for sex?
No! That means, it's clearly evident
that the accused had the intention
to exploit the girl sexually.
That's all, Your Honor.
Any defense questions for the witness?
Please consider the bail application,
Your Honor.
Your Honor.
It's a minor girl's integrity, modesty,
credibility, and self-respect, Your Honor.
Bail rejected.
Sir, why hasn't bail been granted yet?
How can he get bail
when he bought a condom?
Your Honor!
On that day at the bus station,
this guy's disgusting behavior
was witnessed by LW 5, 6, and 7.
I request the Court to present witnesses
Devudu Babu, Ramu Naidu,
and Appala Swamy.
TRUTH ALONE TRIUMPHS
What happened on that day?
That day, after visiting
the Simhachalam Appanna Swamy temple,
the three of us were waiting
at the bus station
to catch a bus to our village.
Meanwhile, this guy approached a girl,
threatened her
and tried to force himself on her.
I looked at the girl and realized
she is Mr. Muthyalaiah's granddaughter.
Before I could get closer
to see what was happening,
he grabbed her by the hand
and took off on his motorbike.
I noted down the bike number,
and informed Mr. Muthyalaiah about it.
Any defense cross-examination
to the witnesses?
Yes, Your Honor.
Mr. Devudu Babu,
on the day of the incident,
can you recall the color of the shirt
the guy was wearing?
Yellow T-shirt, sir.
- What about the girl's dress?
- Pink, sir.
Mr. Appala Swamy, can you tell us
the color of his bike?
Black, sir.
No further questions, Your Honor.
Please consider the bail petition.
Bail rejected.
On May 9th, were you aware
that there was a girl inside
the room in your house?
No.
Hey, hey!
I'm receiving two different answers.
Be specific. Answer one by one.
You first. Did you know
the girl was there?
I knew, sir.
Now, you tell me. Did you know?
- I didn't know, sir.
- Wow!
Wow! Wonderful! Superb!
Mom knew the girl was there,
and Dad didn't.
Excellent! Superb!
Oh heck!
This is a shameful example
of Indian parenting, Your Honor.
I don't even feel like asking you
another question. Please leave.
That's all, Your Honor.
Bail rejected.
Mom, did you iron my shirt?
Mrs. Seetha Ratnam,
after lodging the complaint,
when you went to the boy's house
with the police,
did you see your daughter
coming out of the room?
I did.
I'm sorry for what happened
to your daughter.
In this situation, I deeply regret
having to call you to the stand.
Please be brave.
The court will serve justice
to your daughter. Have faith!
Your Honor!
So far, we've gathered case-related
information from the witnesses.
However, all that should be
confirmed by the victim, Jaabili.
But unfortunately, she is not
in a condition to make any statements.
Due to her abnormal behavior,
she was taken to a psychiatrist
the very next day after the incident,
Your Honor.
Dr. Prabhakar,
can you explain the complications
in Jaabili's mental health?
Well, she has suffered
severe mental trauma due to blackmail.
This is a very common case
of bipolar disorder.
She is undergoing treatment.
It'll take some time for recovery.
Okay, but, can she
at least give a statement?
No. She can't.
- I know it's...
- Actually,
we can't even say
if she remembers the entire incident.
- Oh my God!
- Yeah!
Thank you, Doctor.
That's all, Your Honor.
Bail rejected.
Sir!
Sir, what's going on?
He's not getting bail.
What can I say?
Can't you see how hard I'm trying
for bail? It's just not working.
Trying?
You promised you'd get him released,
and now you're speaking indifferently.
Why are you shouting at me?
Don't act like your friend
did something great!
Do you understand
the mistake your friend made?
No one can save him in this case.
I can only try to reduce the punishment.
You don't know how hard
I'm pleading with the judge for that.
And you're raising your voice at me!
What's this, brother?
The closing statements of both parties.
Your Honor.
Neglecting studies at young age,
these jackasses who take up odd jobs
for just 200 or 300 rupees...
Sorry for my language, Your Honor.
All I meant to say is,
the judgment you pass on Chandu
and others who chase and trap girls,
should be a lesson.
That's all, Your Honor.
The defense's closing statement.
Considering the young age of the accused,
and the promising future
he has ahead of him,
I urge the Court to exercise compassion
in its judgment.
That's all, Your Honor.
The prosecution's evidence in this case,
witnesses, and defense arguments
have been thoroughly examined.
Taking everything into consideration,
the final judgment of this case
will be pronounced in the open court,
at the next hearing, dated
29th July 2013 at 10 a.m.
- Tell me, Teja.
- Good evening, sir.
- Are you coming to the office?
- No, Teja.
I'm in Mangalagiri
regarding the land dispute case.
It'll be late by the time I return.
I won't be coming to the office.
Sir, the people from Vizag
have been waiting for you for a long time.
Please ask them to come back
in the morning.
Teja!
I need to visit
the collector's office tomorrow.
Okay, I'll come and have a look
at the case file early in the morning.
Ask them to come around 10 a.m.
I'll inform them, sir.
He has asked you to come back
at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
Okay, sir.
- Teja!
- Sir!
We aren't taking up this case.
Please inform them.
Sir, there's a chance
we can win this case.
We can raise a benefit of the doubt
against the police...
Whatever we do,
we cannot deliver the justice they need.
It's not that easy to get that boy out.
This case is not as easy
as it looks on paper.
Don't waste their time.
Tell them to leave.
I'm off to the collector's office.
- Tell them it's not possible.
- Sir...
If we get a recall
- for the witness cross-examination
- Teja!
POCSO is different.
We can win this case.
I don't know why he's not taking it up.
- Who knows what he saw in that case.
- Brother!
- I don't understand...
- Brother!
- Take the sweets.
- Koti!
What's the matter?
- Is your marriage fixed?
- No. My boss assigned me a case.
Congratulations, Koti!
What is that case about?
Someone made a post supporting
the rapist in the Nirbhaya case.
Now someone else has filed a case
against that person.
- I've been assigned that case.
- Who's that?
- Why would he support a rapist?
- Why do I care?
- I just needed my first case!
- All the best! Argue well.
We cannot deliver the justice they need.
The judgement will be announced
on Monday.
POCSO is different.
He has been in remand for 78 days.
This case is not as easy
as it looks on paper.
- Take one more, brother.
- Congratulations, Koti.
Do well! Okay?
You must win this case!
Our clients are here. See you later.
- Bye.
- Bye.
Please come.
My boss studied the file,
and he gave it to me and just left.
- He left?
- Don't worry.
He is taking up this case.
He's endorsed me for this case.
I'm going to handle it
under his guidance.
I'll appear in court on his behalf.
Shall we start in the evening?
I've got some work in court to finish.
- I'll meet you later.
- Okay, sir.
Finally, they accepted our case.
What work do you have in court on Sunday?
- It's a lie.
- I just heard a bigger lie than that.
What do you want me to do?
Didn't you hear
the question the boss asked?
Do you know the answer?
Not just you and I
When I searched Google for the answer,
I found out it's called trolley problem.
Trolley problem?
Do you know Google's answer for it?
It says there's no answer
to this scenario.
Apparently, we can write any answer
we want based on common sense.
He asked a hypothetical question
that even Google couldn't answer,
and demanded the correct answer
in exchange for a case.
It clearly shows he has no intention
of assigning a case to me.
That's a POCSO case. It hasn't even been
a year since the law was enacted.
Even top lawyers are backing off
just at the mention of POCSO.
I believe I can handle this case, Lahari.
If I don't go to court tomorrow,
that guy will get sentenced to 14 years.
If I go, at least I'll be happy
that I did my best to stop it.
If I win,
it'll prove Mr. Mohan Rao wrong
for brushing it off as unwinnable.
This lie will disappear
in the face of that victory.
Truth alone triumphs
Truth alone triumphs
Truth alone triumphs
Sign here, dude.
Sir.
I'll look into it after the judgment.
- It's related to the current case, sir.
- What?
A memo of appearance
so late into this case?
Who are these G. Mohan Rao
and Ch. Surya Teja?
It's me, Your Honor.
What's this, mister?
What's your intention behind
filing memo of appearance?
My Lord, I would request
the Honorable Court
to conduct a retrial in this case.
A retrial?
Yes, Your Honor.
- What's this Mr
- Surya Teja.
Surya Teja, did you file this memo
knowing today is the final judgment
in this case?
Yes, Your Honor.
Why did you do so?
This case is completely
in favor of the victim.
And this court believes
that the accused is proven guilty.
Asking for a retrial
to defend this case at this stage,
is just a waste of this court's time.
My Lord, let me try once. Please.
People complain that over 50 million cases
are pending in our courts.
And here you are asking to retry
a case that's reached the judgment stage.
My Lord, with all due respect
You mentioned 50 million cases.
But actually,
it's an injustice that's happened
to 50 million people, Your Honor.
August 4th.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
- Next.
What's this hassle on judgment day?
Who is he?
Who he is doesn't matter, Manga.
Nobody can win this case.
We have to win this case
at any cost, Damu.
We've already won the case, Manga.
Only the official judgment is pending.
TRUTH ALONE TRIUMPHS
Yes, Mr. Teja.
Proceed with your argument.
My Lord, before presenting my arguments,
I'd like to question
our prosecutor Mr. Damu.
Continue.
Mr. Damu, did you stop anywhere
on your commute to court
from home this morning?
I stopped at traffic signals.
Okay. Anywhere else?
- Where else would I stop?
- Recall properly and tell me.
Okay.
I stopped at a petrol station.
Why did you stop there?
For the same reason
anyone else would stop there.
To fill petrol.
- You drive a diesel car, don't you?
- Diesel...
Petrol stations don't sell diesel? Okay.
I know where it's coming from.
You have been stalking me.
Okay, Your Honor.
I filled a bottle of petrol
at the petrol station.
- So what?
- Why fill it in a bottle, sir?
Why?
Because you fought with
the owner of the grocery store
that's at the end of your street.
And to exact revenge on him
you bought petrol this morning
to burn down his store.
- Am I right, sir?
- What kind of foolish story is this?
- I object, Your Honor!
- Why did you buy petrol, then?
Is there any other purpose for petrol
apart from using it
in a vehicle or burning something?
Yeah. Using it in a vehicle!
Okay. Okay!
Your Honor, I also own a two-wheeler.
It has no fuel.
I couldn't drive it to the station.
That's why I went to the petrol station
in my diesel car,
and bought petrol in a bottle
for my two-wheeler. Is that clear?
No, My Lord. Everything he said is a lie.
- What?
- He bought petrol
with the sole intention
of burning down that store.
Well, wait! Wait!
Your Honor, I did have
a fight with that store owner.
I also bought petrol in a bottle.
But where is the crime here?
It is a crime only if I throw petrol
on the owner and set him on fire! Right?
I'm just trying to explain
the law to my fellow lawyer.
Buying petrol is not a crime.
It's a crime only if I use it
to burn something.
Exactly, Your Honor!
Buying a condom is not a crime.
It's a crime only if sex occurs.
We have a witness for the purchase
of condoms on that day.
Nobody has told us
what happened after that.
Now, I'd like to call upon
the next witness, Chitti.
Chitti, tell me what happened that day.
- Jaabili is calling! Come quickly!
- Coming, bro.
Brother, give me a packet.
Dude! This would be
the best gift at this hour.
You creep!
Is this all you can think about?
Nobody thinks like you.
You can walk home.
I won't give you a lift!
Dude! Dude!
My Lord, there is no police record
of the accused Chandrasekhar
having a condom at the time
of his arrest, Your Honor.
Besides, Chitti's version proves that
the accused threw away the condoms.
Hello, my dear defense lawyer!
The case is not about whether he bought
the condoms or he threw it away.
She's a minor, My Lord.
He was caught red-handed after
blackmailing her to go home with him.
We should be talking about that,
not all this.
Your Honor, they call it blackmail
when I talk about condoms.
And they bring up condoms
when I talk about blackmail!
All right, My Lord.
With your permission,
I'd like to call upon
LW6, Devudu Babu.
Devudu Babu! Devudu Babu! Devudu Babu!
- Mr. Devudu Babu.
- Sir?
On May 9th,
Ramu Naidu, Appala Swamy, and you
visited the Simhachalam temple.
And you were waiting at the bus terminal
to catch a bus back to your village.
And at around 12:15 p.m.,
you saw this boy, Chandrasekhar,
forcefully taking
Muthyalaiah's granddaughter on his bike.
- Is that correct?
- Yes, sir.
- How long did it take to see the deity?
- I object, Your Honor!
Why are we talking about seeing the deity
or the rituals at the temple?
How is it relevant to this case?
What is this, Mr. Teja?
It is relevant, Your Honor!
Mr. Damu will understand
if he exercises some patience.
Continue.
Mr. Devudu Babu,
how long did it take to see the deity?
Around one and a half hours.
One and a half hours.
Did you take the stairs or a bus
to the hilltop?
We took the stairs.
How long did that take?
- One and a half hours.
- Okay.
It takes two hours to get to Simhachalam
from your village, right?
- Yes, sir.
- Yes?
It took 90 minutes to climb the stairs,
and another 90 minutes to see the deity.
That's five hours in total.
If you were at the bus terminal
by 12:15 p.m.,
that means you were
already halfway back home.
Which means you'd traveled another hour.
So a total of six hours.
Now, what time in the morning
did you leave your village Tagarapuvalasa
to go to Simhachalam?
At 6 a.m., sir.
- Morning 6 o'clock?
- Yes, sir.
Thank you, Mr. Devudu Babu.
- You can go.
- Okay, sir.
My Lord, I now request to call upon
LW7, Mr. Ramu Naidu, to the witness stand.
Mr. Ramu Naidu, what time
did you leave your village that day
to go to Simhachalam?
We
The time
Okay. While returning to your village
from Simhachalam,
you saw this boy taking
Muthyalaiah's granddaughter on a bike.
- Is that correct?
- Yes.
To go back to your village,
you had to reach Simhachalam first, right?
So, I'm asking,
what time did you leave for Simhachalam?
Mr. Ramu Naidu, please tell us.
Around 8 a.m.
At 8 a.m.?
- Yes, sir.
- How long did it take to see the deity?
- About half an hour.
- Half an hour. 30 minutes! Wow!
Thank you, Mr. Ramu Naidu. Please wait.
Mr. Appala Swamy,
on May 9th,
you saw this boy taking
Muthyalaiah's granddaughter on his bike.
- Is that correct?
- Yes, sir. I saw them.
The man was wearing a yellow shirt.
The girl was in a pink dress.
The bike was black.
The colors aren't really relevant now.
Please tell me.
At what time did you leave your village
to go to Simhachalam?
How long did it take to see the deity?
My Lord, in a way,
Devudu Babu and Ramu Naidu are better.
At least they tried to say something.
But him
Your Honor!
These three claim they saw a boy taking
a girl from their village on a bike.
They remember the color
of their clothes and the bike.
But somehow,
they all recall different times
for when they left for Simhachalam
and how long it took to see the deity.
That's surprising, Your Honor.
If you're as surprised as I am,
let me show you something, My Lord.
Your Honor, I would like to present
a video statement
given by the victim's friend.
My Lord, this is a statement from Nithya,
the victim Jaabili's close friend.
She explains what happened on May 9th
after their EAMCET class.
Since her parents didn't want her
to attend court,
they recorded this video statement.
My name is Nithya.
Jaabili and I have been classmates
since 11th grade.
On May 9th, after our EAMCET class,
we took an auto-rickshaw to Maddilapalem.
From there, we walked together.
I went to my house and she went
to my neighbor Chandu's house.
My Lord, if we examine
Nithya's video statement,
it's clear that the victim Jaabili
never went to the bus station.
And based on my cross-examination,
it's clear that these three
never went to Simhachalam.
So, when did the accused Chandrashekar,
wearing a yellow shirt,
blackmail Jaabili,
who was in a pink dress,
and abduct her on his black bike?
I fail to understand this, Your Honor.
Sections 366A, 354A, 354B, 354C, and 354D.
These charges arise from twisting
a half-truth from the drugstore
and inventing a story about an abduction
from the bus station!
My Lord, with all due respect,
I would request the Honorable Court
to dismiss all these charges
against my client,
the accused Chandrasekhar, Your Honor.
Does the prosecution have any other source
to support this incident?
I need some time, Your Honor.
10/8.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
- Thank you, My Lord.
- Sir!
- Yes?
Can we apply for bail?
This is a very sensitive case, Reddy.
Getting bail won't be easy.
We should focus on winning the case,
not just getting bail.
- Okay, sir.
- See you soon.
Well done.
Great cross-examination, Mr...
- Teja.
- Teja!
- Nice.
- Thank you, sir.
- Hey! Get two cups of tea.
- No thanks, sir.
There are some offers
you just shouldn't refuse.
I don't know how much they're paying you
to argue this case.
I don't know what you stand to gain
if you win it either.
But how much would it take for you
to drop it?
Who's your client, Teja?
Who is he?
He's just a watchman's son.
A nobody.
And yet, for his case,
you're rejecting my offer...
Damu,
if we somehow lose this case,
I can't bear people
gossiping about my loss.
What should we do?
I'll tell you.
- Tell me, Teja!
- Lahari!
- We've almost won this case.
- Very good.
How was today's hearing?
Prosecution.
Your Honor!
We received crucial evidence last evening.
I request you to examine it.
Sir.
Respected defense lawyer,
please take a look.
One minute.
Chandu!
Come. You should also see
the great work you've done.
Come. Let's not waste the Court's time.
Your Honor!
On May 4th,
exactly five days before the arrest,
Jaabili attended a wedding, Your Honor.
Chandu, who followed her everywhere,
also went to the wedding to meet her.
And whatever he said to her,
this video speaks volumes.
And on May 9th, around 10 a.m.,
the victim's mother received this video.
She panicked. She didn't know what to do.
She was wondering whom she should tell.
Just then, she got a phone call
to add to her troubles.
She heard that
her daughter was taken on a bike.
She didn't know what to do.
So she filed a police complaint.
But, Your Honor,
she withheld this video to protect
her daughter's reputation in society.
She didn't submit it to the police.
Because she firmly believed
the accused would be punished
for ruining her daughter's life.
You know what happened after that.
Powerful people tried to derail this case.
The incident happened three months ago.
How much can the witnesses
really remember? They got confused.
Fearing that the wrongdoer
might escape punishment,
this mother did the ultimate sacrifice
that no one else would have done.
She reluctantly brought
this video forward.
Why?
Because she doesn't want another girl
to suffer her daughter's fate.
If you can honor her request for justice,
I will revise the charges
and submit a new charge sheet.
To do that, I request the Court
to give me some time.
That's all, Your Honor.
- 17/8.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
Please listen, sir.
The drugstore might be a half-truth.
The bus station might be a complete lie.
But this video
Is completely true.
Show me what you got now!
Sir.
Please, hear me out.
Let's go.
- Sir!
- I said, let's go.
Sir!
- Sir!
- Move it.
Sir...
Sir, please listen to me once.
- Sir! Sir!
- What do you want?
You people cheated me.
You betrayed me.
Sir, we didn't know about the video.
But he did.
He knew, didn't he?
He should have told me.
Keep your case to yourself.
That junior lawyer
won't be here for the next hearing.
Make sure the final judgment
is given on that day.
- Got it?
- I'll take care of it.
- Just relax.
- Where did that CCTV footage come from?
How did it suddenly show up?
It wasn't sudden.
That was where it all started.
MANGAPATHI RICE MILL
What's up, Madhava?
You said you had something
important to share. What is it?
My sister-in-law's necklace
went missing at that wedding.
While reviewing the CCTV footage,
we came across something else.
Take a look.
I didn't know whom to inform
in their family, so I came to you.
All right then. I'll leave now.
Leave your laptop here.
- Bring the rest of the bags...
- Hey!
- Brother-in-law?
- Where is Jaabili?
She went to her EAMCET class.
- What's her number?
- 9849
What's wrong?
- Get back to work.
- Okay.
- Tell me.
- I'm sharing a number with you.
Track who received the most calls from it
and give me their name and address.
- Where are you?
- I'm at Dhaba Garden, sir!
I'll give you a task. Finish it fast.
Okay, sir.
- Tell me.
- The number that received the most calls
belongs to a Chandrasekhar.
The address is
- Where are you?
- Urvashi Junction, sir.
Hey!
- Get in the car. Get in!
- Where are we going?
Dude, there's no better gift
than this right now.
You can walk home.
I won't give you a lift.
Dude! Dude!
Mrs. Seetha Ratnam!
Mr. Muthyalaiah! Come here!
- Where are we going?
- You'll find out.
Hey! Where are you off to?
- I was getting the shawl.
- Not needed!
Come now.
Watch this.
Who's that? Jaabili
- Who's that guy?
- His name is Chandrasekhar.
He lives in this house.
What are you staring at?
Trying to locate the house?
You know the shed we provide
for our watchmen?
That's what his house looks like.
Our Jaabili is there with him right now.
If she's there, why are we still here?
- Let's go inside.
- Wait!
Wait for some time. They're coming.
Who are coming?
Let's go in now.
Please make sure this doesn't get out,
Son-in-law.
As per my father-in-law's request,
I kept this video hidden until now.
But there's no other choice now.
Shall I leave now?
Okay, let's go.
What happened in today's hearing?
- Nothing much.
- Why do you sound downcast?
What happened?
Nothing. I'm going home.
I'll talk to you later.
Going home? Why now?
Hello?
You should have told us before you
submitted that video, Son-in-law.
And if I had?
Would you have protected
this family's honor? Huh?
You should've thought about
my daughter too.
Do not talk about her!
I have nothing good to say!
Until yesterday,
this was your family's issue.
But from today, it's my issue.
If we lose this case,
what will people say?
Will they say Jaabili lost?
Or that Seetha Ratnam's daughter lost?
Or that Muthyalaiah's granddaughter lost?
They'll say Mangapathi lost!
I intentionally revealed the video.
If we win the case,
we restore our family's honor.
We can say, "He's a fraud.
He manipulated our daughter.
Our daughter is innocent.
She's an angel."
We can even say,
"she's as pure as Goddess Sita!"
Instead of worrying
about me exposing the video,
you should be worrying about
why she was with him in that room.
Hey! What's wrong? Why the sudden visit?
- I felt like stopping by.
- Did Mohan Rao say something?
No, Mom. Nothing like that.
I just thought I'd stay
for a few days, that's all.
If you keep questioning me,
I'll leave today.
What an attitude! Just eat.
Get me a cup of tea.
Look.
Try all you want,
but you can't win this case.
You don't realize
the power of the POCSO Act.
Poor boy. He looks young.
I can tell you one thing.
Go meet that girl's family,
and try to convince them
to withdraw the case.
If you can't get them
to compromise and drop the case,
there's no chance
of your boy being released.
With the way things are,
you don't have any other options.
Can we go visit them
in the middle of the case?
You're not picking a fight with them.
You're trying to reach a compromise.
It's fine. You can go.
Hey!
What are you doing here? Who let you in?
Don't even dream about a compromise,
or the case being withdrawn!
What, Father-in-law?
Are they relatives now?
I was wondering if you also
ordered a feast for them.
What are you staring at? Get inside!
Get back to work!
Hey. Get out.
- Sir
- Sir! Sir
Please save him, sir.
I'll ensure he never messes with you.
If he comes near your house again,
I'll break his legs.
Sir, we'll fall at your feet.
Please don't ruin his life.
Show some mercy, please.
You'll never see us ever again.
We promise you, sir!
Sir, please let him go.
- I plead with you, please.
- Sir, I beg you.
We are mere laborers.
We can't compete with your status.
Status!
You realize your status now,
when you're begging at my feet?
You should've realized it when your son
dared to hold our girl's hand!
- He made a mistake.
- I'm not dropping the case, come what may!
- Leave!
- Sir! Please...
Sir
Get up, Mom.
O little bird
Calm down
Hold on to the pain
Bear with it
A line drawn in unseen light
A crime to cross, or just a fight?
Did no justice come to you
When you called
Did you want to raise questions?
In time's book, as it unfolds
This is all our story holds
For lessons school never taught
Time becomes the teacher
O little bird
Calm down
Hold on to your pain
Bear with it
O little bird
Calm down
What happened?
A boy at school
dashed into me on purpose.
When I told him to watch it,
he said, "You're okay with your brother
taking a girl into a room
but can't I just bump into you?"
Everyone at school is laughing at me, Mom.
Have you seen colors in falling rain?
Felt the strike of lightning's pain?
Hasn't Teja returned yet?
No, sir.
Embraced the flames that won't obey?
The call of a mother
Tears unshed, sorrow widespread
The star fell, separated from the sky
The moon carries what hearts conceal
Love shows no mercy
O little bird
Calm down
Hold on to your pain
- Let's withdraw...
- Withdraw the case and?
Will you get him released
and get your daughter married to him?
Sympathy is acceptable.
But you also need to know who deserves it.
Please give me a kilo of wheat flour.
Is your boy Chandu still in jail?
He is not imprisoned. He is in remand.
He'll be in remand
until the court decides he's guilty.
He is remanded in jail, is he not?
- Hello?
- Hello, Mr. Mohan Rao?
Greetings, sir.
- What's the matter, Mr. Murthy?
- Nothing, sir.
You sent your junior to Vizag
for a case recently, didn't you?
Please tell us
if there's something like that again.
- We are in Vizag, right?
- My junior?
Which case is he handling in Vizag?
Okay, Mr. Murthy. Thank you.
Sir! If there are any cases in Vizag,
give them to me.
Sure.
What's wrong, Teja?
Why didn't you come to the office?
Why do you seem so dull?
It's all right, tell me.
I know everything.
Tell me what's bothering you.
I tricked you and took over the case, sir.
And, I got tricked over there.
What's your problem now?
That you fooled me,
or that you got fooled?
I'm unfit to be a lawyer, sir.
I'm not right for this job.
This is your problem, Teja.
You make instant decisions.
You take quick decisions
without diving deeper into the problem.
Just because that one case
turned out like that,
you got heartbroken and came home
saying you're unfit for the job.
It's one of the reasons
I never assigned any cases to you.
Let's take that 304A case.
I got blasted by people when I defended
the driver in that accident case.
Everyone kept blaming the driver
for killing a person,
but why did no one question
why the victim was even there
at that time, Teja?
Yes.
That wasn't an accident, Teja.
It was a suicide.
If we had proven to the court
that it was a suicide,
his family wouldn't have been eligible
for third-party insurance.
The driver who purchased
that truck on a loan
couldn't afford to pay any compensation.
That's why I had to take the case to court
without reaching a settlement.
When I found out you had already guessed
the questions I asked in that case,
I felt proud.
You're intelligent, Teja.
It's dangerous for intelligent people
to make quick decisions.
This is exactly what happened
when I quizzed you on the trolley problem.
You kept altering your answers
as I kept presenting new reasons.
You talked about killing
either the one person or the other five.
But you never questioned
why that one guy or those five men
were even at the railway track.
I wasn't looking for an answer, Teja.
I was expecting a question.
The black coat is always
about questioning.
In the legal profession,
before determining right and wrong,
we must first understand
why we are in a situation
that requires such a decision.
Not with these instant decisions.
Let bygones be bygones.
Don't think about it too much.
- Get back to work!
- Okay, sir.
- See you.
- Yeah, see you.
Greetings, sir.
Sir.
Proceed.
Your Honor,
the charge sheet has been rewritten
and the sections have been altered.
The newly added sections are
IPC Section 376 subsection 2,
rape of a girl,
and Section 6 of POCSO Act
as the girl is a minor.
Defense?
My Lord, I plead for an adjournment
and I also request the Honorable Court
to recall all the witnesses.
21/08.
Thank you, My Lord.
My Lord, page number eight.
Tell me, CI Ramesh Reddy.
- You filed this charge sheet, right?
- Yes.
It has IPC section 376,
subsection 2 for the rape of a girl
and section 6 of the POCSO Act.
Why did you file these charges
against the accused?
The accused had sex with a minor.
According to the Indian Penal Code,
sex with a minor girl
is considered as rape.
That's why we filed a case against him.
How did you conclude that they had sex?
What do you mean?
Everybody saw the video footage, right?
What is in that footage?
The girl and the boy go into a room,
close the door,
and come out after 16 minutes.
So, are you implying that he had sex
with her in those 16 minutes?
- Yes!
- How did that happen?
- What do you mean?
- I mean
Who initiated it?
What happened after that?
Can you explain to the court
how the process unfolded after that?
How would I know all that?
- I was not in that room, was I?
- So, who saw it then?
Nobody saw it.
If no one saw it, how can you say
that they had sex inside?
On what basis did you file
a rape charge against him?
When a boy takes a girl to a room,
his intentions are obvious.
Everybody knows that!
Even a child could tell you.
Sir, your assumptions
or general perceptions don't matter.
The court requires evidence.
We need to know exactly what took place
in that room that night.
Even if a child witnessed it,
bring them here to testify.
My Lord, as you've heard,
CI Ramesh Reddy is speaking about
a generalized public perception.
We all function within an assumed reality
or a widely accepted belief
about what happens when a boy
and a girl go into a room together.
It may not be wrong, My Lord.
But, it might not always be
right either, Your Honor.
Even the statement "90 out of 100
people may have done it"
acknowledges that there is a possibility
that ten may not have.
Especially in this case,
whether the accused had sex
with the victim that night
remains mere speculation.
And we can't draw conclusions
based on speculations.
If we had received the information
within 48 hours of the incident,
we would have had time
to conduct the necessary tests.
However, since we learned about
the incident several days later,
we couldn't conduct any tests.
- So
- You confirmed it yourselves?
Mrs. Seetha Ratnam,
after watching the video,
what did you ask your daughter,
and how did she respond?
Do you mean to say she didn't tell you,
or that you never asked her?
- I didn't ask.
- What?
I didn't ask.
- You didn't question your daughter?
- No.
My Lord!
Even after seeing the video,
no one questioned the victim Jaabili.
People jumped to conclusions
just by watching the video.
I object, Your Honor.
Even if we ask her,
what could she possibly say?
She's mentally disturbed!
So, her answers will not be reliable.
My Lord, I will discuss the issue
of her mental illness later.
Only two people know
what happened that night.
The accused, Chandrasekhar,
and the victim, Jaabili.
We never questioned Jaabili.
Let's at least ask Chandrasekhar.
I request the Honorable Court
to kindly grant permission
for in-camera proceedings
to record the statement
of the accused, Chandrasekhar.
This court is ordering everyone
in this court hall to leave this place
except the accused, the defense lawyer,
the prosecutor, and the stenographer.
The rest may leave
until you're called inside.
In-camera proceedings!
In-camera proceedings!
Thank you, My Lord.
Chandrasekhar, tell the judge
what happened that night in the room
when you were with Jaabili.
Since Chandrasekhar's arrest until now,
neither he nor his friends or family
have met Jaabili, the victim.
Therefore, the victim, Jaabili,
has had no opportunity
to know whatever
the accused has just stated.
We have only one option
to verify his version of events.
That is Jaabili.
She won't appear in court because
She's mentally disturbed,
as the prosecution claims.
Hence, I request the Honorable Court
to call upon
Doctor Prabhakar.
Doctor Prabhakar,
can you explain what happened to Jaabili?
It is called bipolar disorder.
Bipolar disorder? What is that, sir?
Can you please explain it to me
and to the people in this courtroom?
See. It's a very abnormal behavior.
Just by looking at her, it's clear
that something is wrong with her.
Oh! Something is wrong with her?
- So, you're treating her?
- Yes.
So, have you admitted her
to your hospital?
No, no. They bring her to me twice a week.
- Who brings her?
- Her mother.
Her mother. So
How long does it take for you
to examine the victim?
Yeah, actually it takes
five to ten minutes.
If a counseling session is required,
it may take between 20 to 25 minutes.
Oh, so when she comes with her mother,
you'll just examine her briefly
and send her home?
Look, it's a government hospital.
Many people from the neighboring
villages come there.
We can't examine them immediately.
- It takes time.
- How long does it take?
It might take an hour or two
depending on the rush, right?
- Okay. Depending on the rush.
- Yeah!
Do you know him?
Yes, he is Sambamurthy. My attendant.
Thank you for confirming.
My Lord, the man in the video
is Sambamurthy.
He works at
a government psychiatric hospital.
To be precise,
he's an attendant
in Doctor Prabakar's office.
A lot of people come
to consult the doctor.
The doctor confirmed
that many people wait for hours.
Sambamurthy is the one who spends more
time with the patients than the doctor.
So, obviously,
hoping that Sambamurthy might
recognize the victim, Jaabili,
we showed him her picture.
You can see his response
in this video, Your Honor.
Sir, have you seen this girl before?
- No, I've never seen her.
- Try to remember, sir.
Hey, I've never seen her.
I would have told you if I knew her.
My Lord, how can Sambamurthy,
who saw the victim Jaabili twice a week,
suddenly fail to recognize her?
- Prosecutor Damu has to tell us.
- He won't recognize her, Your Honor!
Of course he won't!
Had he seen the victim Jaabili's photo,
he would have surely recognized her.
We are looking at her real picture here.
But
How can we be sure that he showed
the same picture to Sambamurthy?
He could have used a different picture
to confuse Sambamurthy,
recorded a video,
and later morphed it to look like Jaabili
through computer graphics.
Our defense lawyer is quite capable
of showing us a fake video!
That's all, Your Honor.
My Lord, the only person
who can confirm
whether I showed him
the picture of victim Jaabili is...
Sambamurthy.
I hereby propose
attendant Sambamurthy
as a new witness in this case
and I humbly request the Honorable Court
to immediately summon him to the court.
The Court orders the Bheemunipatnam police
to bring in Sambamurthy
and present him in the court by 2 p.m.
Thank you, My Lord.
- Can I leave?
- Wait a second.
- Can she leave?
- Yes, she can.
You can leave.
- Mr. Sambamurthy?
- Sir.
I showed you this picture
the other day, didn't I?
No, sir.
Have a closer look.
It was the same picture.
No, sir.
You didn't show me this picture.
It was some other girl.
I know this girl very well.
She comes to our hospital often.
If you had shown me this picture,
- I'd have recognized her right away.
- There it is, My Lord!
These are the defense lawyer's
desperate tactics to win the case.
That's all, Your Honor.
August 30th.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Sir! Mr. Damu!
The judge is calling you.
- He's calling me?
- Yes. Come with me.
We have extended
the defense's cross-examination.
- Please cooperate.
- Sure, Your Honor.
- Mr. Sambamurthy.
- Sir.
Can you identify Jaabili's mom
from these two pictures?
Doctor, please wait.
I'll call you if necessary.
Tell me.
Your doctor says
that her mother brings her
to the hospital twice a week.
- Yes, sir.
- So tell me.
If you can easily recognize Jaabili,
you should be able to recognize
her mother as well!
- Yes, sir.
- Tell me who the girl's mother is.
- It's her, sir.
- This lady?
She is her mother!
- This is
- Yes, her mother!
- Yeah? Okay.
- Yes, sir.
Your Honor, the lady in that picture
is the accused Chandrasekhar's mother.
Why is Chandu's mother, Nagalakshmi,
accompanying the victim, Jaabili,
to the hospital twice a week?
Only the respected prosecutor
can answer this.
- Sir, sir!
- Yes?
- I got confused.
- Really?
That's not the right picture.
- Then?
- You are holding the right one.
- The lady in this picture?
- She's her mother!
Yes! She's her mother.
- You sure?
- Sure, sir.
My Lord, the lady in the picture
is my mother.
I don't have Jaabili's mother's picture,
Your Honor.
I intended to add Sambamurthy
to the case's witness list
right from the start.
But I waited until now
because I was worried
he could be influenced or bribed.
But today, Your Honor
They bribed him right outside the court!
My Lord, the statement about her mother
taking her to the hospital is a lie.
The claim that Doctor Prabhakar
is treating her is a lie.
Mr. Prosecutor's statement
that the girl is mentally ill
is a complete lie!
I clearly believe
that Jaabili is mentally fit and fine
to depose her statement.
They have obstructed justice
by keeping her away from the court
all these days, Your Honor!
To overcome this obstruction,
I request the Honorable Court
to bring her forward
and have her statement recorded,
Your Honor.
The Court directs
the Bheemunipatnam police
to ensure that Jaabili, along with
her parents or guardians,
is presented before the court
at any cost, on the 30th of this month.
Thank you so much, My Lord.
Manga, now we have only two options.
One is to bring her to the court
and get her to speak in our favor.
No matter what that defense lawyer
has done till now,
the girl coming to court and giving
a statement against the boy
will ensure his punishment.
What's the other option?
Withdrawing the case.
We'll have to take Jaabili
to court on Friday.
We tried our best.
But, it is inevitable.
Bring her for a day.
Where is she?
Jaabili.
Is she in the room?
Jaabili!
Jaabili?
Now
You must testify in court
that he misbehaved with you.
Or we'll lose the case
and our honor will be lost.
Got it?
Your family's honor rests in your hands.
You must protect it.
Think it over. Okay?
Proceed.
Your Honor, as per the orders
of the Honorable Court,
Jaabili must be presented
before the court today.
But unfortunately
Jaabili has gone missing.
This is the missing complaint
filed in the police station.
- Jaabili, come on. We're running late.
- I'm coming, Mom.
The judge is on leave today.
The court constable told me.
We don't have to go today.
We can go when they call us
on the next adjournment date.
The police are investigating
her disappearance, Your Honor.
Once we find Jaabili,
we can present her to the court.
So, we request the Court to put
the proceedings of this case on hold.
The Court orders to speed up
the investigation to find the girl
and present her in the court
as soon as possible.
Sure, Your Honor!
- Hello!
- Raju.
- Do we have the court today?
- Of course we do.
Actually, I heard the judge
is on leave today.
You got the wrong information.
The judge is already here.
My Lord!
The victim, Jaabili, is here.
And before calling her
into the witness box,
I would like to cross-examine
one more person, Your Honor.
- Who's that?
- Mangapathi.
Mangapathi! Mangapathi! Mangapathi!
Mr. Mangapathi.
What do you do for a living?
- I have a rice mill.
- Is that it? Anything else?
- I'm also involved in politics.
- Anything else?
Did you go to the police station
on the day the case was filed?
I was there the whole day.
The entire day?
From the time we saw the video
in the morning
until the FIR was filed in the evening.
You didn't do anything else?
How could I work when a girl
from my family is in trouble?
- We were worried the whole day.
- I mean
Did you do something like paying
workers' salaries or helping someone?
No.
I don't remember.
The thing is,
even in that worried situation,
you used the ATM opposite
the police station
to withdraw 25,000 rupees each
from your Andhra Bank and SBI accounts.
Just wondering
what you did with that money.
How is this case to the relevant...
I mean...
This is absolutely irrelevant
to the case, Your Honor!
Mr. Damu!
Him and the people at the police station
know the relevance of this.
Please be seated.
He'll explain the relevance.
Go on, Mr. Mangapathi.
What did you do with the money?
I know what you want, sir.
The other day, you showed two photos
and declared they were both false.
Today, you're talking about ATMs,
banks, withdrawals and statements
and manipulating the situation.
What do you want, sir?
Look, our girl has suffered an injustice.
We came to court to ask for justice.
Please help us if you can.
Okay, Mr. Mangapathi!
Your girl will get her justice.
You may stand down.
My Lord,
now I request the Honorable Court
to conduct in-camera proceedings
to record the statement
of the victim, Jaabili.
In-camera proceedings!
In-camera proceedings!
Jaabili.
On the night of May 4th
from 10:52 p.m. to 11:08 p.m.,
which is almost 16 minutes,
were you inside room number 106
of Sitara Function Hall?
Yes, sir.
Was Chandrasekhar with you?
Yes, sir.
Please tell the Court
what happened during those 16 minutes.
The auspicious time to tie the knot
will begin shortly.
Let's sit here like bride and groom.
We'll do as the priest says downstairs.
How's that possible? We don't have
the auspicious thread and other stuff.
Let's imagine we have all those things.
We'll do a wedding rehearsal.
Beat the drums loudly!
I'm mentally married to you.
Okay, let's go.
My folks will worry
if they don't see me.
Come on. Let's go.
What happened in the room that day?
Did anything wrong happen?
Oh, no!
My Lord, considering Chandu's statement
during the last hearing,
and the girl's statement in this hearing
it is now clearly established
before the Honorable Court
that this is all that has happened.
And this is the ultimate truth,
Your Honor.
And there is no case of rape
of a minor girl, Your Honor.
Chandu blackmailing her is a lie.
Him kidnapping Jaabili
and taking her home is a lie.
It is a lie
that they had sexual intercourse!
If there's any truth in all of this,
it is that they are both in love.
Just because the girl is a minor,
they fabricated all these charges
against my client Chandrashekar,
Your Honor.
This is a gross misuse of the POCSO Act.
In this whole incident,
Chandu's only crime
was entering that room when the girl
he loved asked him to.
He didn't even know
that would lead to such a big case.
Not just Chandu, Your Honor.
Most young people pursuing
a college degree today
are unaware of the consequences
of falling in love
with a girl who is in 11th or 12th grade.
No one educates them
in schools or colleges.
Not even at home or on TV.
They dismiss law and order as merely
a matter between lawyers and the police.
What's the point of these laws
when they remain ignorant of them?
Before punishing someone
for their mistakes,
shouldn't we tell them
what their mistake was?
The law must be part of
the education system in this country.
I think even an uneducated person
must be aware of the laws!
Your Honour, with your kind permission.
As per the records of Jaabili,
as of today, her age is 17 years,
11 months and 10 days.
My Lord, had this incident happened
after another 20 days,
there wouldn't even be a case.
What is considered wrong
on the 17th year and 364th day
will be deemed right on the first day
of the 18th year.
Your Honor, how can we assume
that youngsters will act maturely
as soon as they turn eighteen?
Maturity isn't something
that can be bought instantly.
It is a very subjective matter.
And our case is between
our constitution and our conscience.
We all know why the POCSO Act
was designed to be so strict.
Because if a six-year-old girl
is raped by a 40-year-old man,
he deserves to be punished severely.
However, applying the same analogy
to a 19-year-old boy
who is in love with a 17-year-old girl
We might have to rethink our approach,
Your Honor.
Someone in our country
who fell in love at 16
reached heights later, Your Honor.
If the POCSO Act had existed back then,
history would have missed
some notable names.
Even in this case, this girl called
Chandrasekhar to the room out of love.
They just playfully
enacted the wedding rituals.
And it's clear that she was fully aware of
what she was doing.
Without knowing what actually
happened in the room
and assuming
their imagination as the truth,
they filed a POCSO case
against my client, Your Honor.
Because of people like Mangapathi
who misuse the law,
innocent lives like Chandrashekar's
are being ruined.
This is all Mangapathi's personal vendetta
against a watchman's son
for loving a girl
from his household, My Lord.
On May 9th, he withdrew money
from the ATM
and gave it to the CI, Your Honor.
That's how he bribed the police,
lawyers, doctors, and even the witnesses!
He twisted justice by purchasing
both truth and lies, Your Honor!
And what's the total amount of money
he spent?
Around two lakh rupees,
including legal fees.
A 19-year-old boy was almost
condemned to 14 years in prison.
And the torture inflicted
on him and his family!
Two lakh rupees, Your Honor.
Two lakhs!
I
I rest my case, Your Honor.
Any closing statement
from the prosecution?
No, Your Honor.
This court is convinced
with the defense lawyer's arguments
and believes that
The accused, Chandrasekhar,
is not found guilty.
Considering this case
as a case of love rather than a crime,
this court declares the accused,
Chandrasekhar, alias Chandu, innocent
and orders his release.
This court commends
Lawyer Chaluvadi Surya Teja
and orders an inquiry against
the Bheemunipatnam Police Station.
And,
the Court rebukes Lawyer Damodar,
and orders an inquiry against Mangapathi
for producing false witnesses
under the Section 8 of
the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The Court orders that Mangapathi be taken
into custody for inquiry.
He is not to leave town
without permission.
Sir!
I thought your honor was my honor.
How dare you turn on me?
Whether it's your kids or mine,
be mindful when speaking about girls.
So you still defend
your daughter's actions.
You all stand by each other!
We'll see. We'll meet again!
It's all right, Dad. I got it.
Give it to my little sister.
I'm enrolling Jaabili
in long-term EAMCET coaching.
Let's go.
Please pass this order
with immediate effect.
- Excuse me, sir!
- Yes?
Judgment copy, sir.
Your assistant Teja has won the case.
Advocate Surya Teja won the case.
You are the reason for this victory, sir.
No one can grant victory to anyone, Teja.
- I'm proud of you.
- Thank you, sir.
Congrats!
Today is my 18th birthday.
THE END