Falsely Accused

There have been real-life incidents where people have been falsely accused of crimes they have not committed and been punished for it all over the world. In millions of Police files and archives, there are cases where innocent people have been convicted of murder, arson, burglary, theft, deception etc. In some cases, justice has been served correctly and innocent people have been absolved and proper compensation has been given to them for their suffering. There are also millions of people who are still fighting to prove their innocence to the world. My following story is based on one such incident which is completely imaginary. 

Here the character is falsely accused of a murder and how he enlists the help of someone and tries to prove his innocence.

 

Sameer Kaushik was a brilliant computer programmer from a small town in Hardwar, who had through his sheer efforts and determination had made a name for himself in Mumbai. He was working in one of the most reputed computer software companies in the world. He had everything going for himself; that is, he had a house, a car and even had managed to get one of the prettiest girls in town, Sheenam, as his girlfriend. Sheenam was a dentist by profession but she looked like a model. Sameer was shorter in height and had a dark complexion but made it up by his brains and his ever dazzling and smiling can-do-attitude to everything on his face. Where Sheenam was the kind of a girl who elucidated second glances from everyone wherever she went. Everywhere this couple went they became an instant hit. Both Sheenam and Sameer were so much in love and were planning to settle down together. Though Sheenam's parents did not much like Sameer, they had reluctantly agreed to bow down to their only daughter’s desire. One reason for their resentment and dislike towards Sameer was that according to them he was not up to their standards in social status and financial position and second was Sheenam and Sameer were in a live-in relationship, which was unacceptable to them. Though Sheenam used to frequently visit them still they always showed their displeasure at this arrangement.

Anyway, life was going on when one day Sameer has an unusual encounter in his life that changes his life forever. One day when he is coming back from work he is accosted by two well-dressed gentlemen who show him their identifications from a nameless agency in government and tell him that they want to enlist his help in something important. When Sameer asks them that 'how did you come here and who has sent you', the taller guy of the two with a straight face says that " your boss Rajeev has recommended your name to us". He further said that "we are launching a computer program and we need your help in this, as we cannot discuss this with anyone else". While all this conversation was going on between Sameer and the taller guy, the other guy who was shorter in height and dark in complexion and hefty was looking around as if searching for something. At first, Sameer is a little bit hesitant and reconfirms the information from his boss Rajeev, who immediately asks him to help them as he was the best guy in the company.

These two men also tell him during their introduction that they know everything there is to know about Sameer and Sheenam. So when Sameer gets enraged and says that 'are you trying to threaten me?' to which the taller guy says ' no, but we know everything and we can help in sorting things over'. Sameer reluctantly agrees to work with them and as he keeps on working further; he finds that nothing seems as it was first thought. He slowly discovers to his shock that there were huge misappropriations in government funds and also this software was being developed for some nefarious, anti-national purpose.

Sameer is shocked and ashamed to be gullible enough to fall into this trap. He decides not to go any further with this project and he informs both his boss Rajeev and the two government agents. At first, Rajeev tries to persuade him but fails, and then he with hesitation bows down to Sameer’s wishes. Rajeev just says that 'you got to be careful with these guys'. When Sameer asks the meaning of this veiled warning, Rajeev changes his point of conversation and distracts him with some other work. On the other hand, the senior of the two government agents accept Sameer’s refusal to work with poise but warns him not to discuss this with anyone.

 

Few days pass like this and as Sameer is now looking ahead to his marriage with Sheenam, something terrible occurs which completely turns Sameer’s life upside down. One day Sheenam comes home early from office and finds the door to their apartment slightly ajar, alarmed she enters the apartment and starts looking for any sign of intruder; when someone grabs her from her behind and loops a wire around her neck and starts strangling her. She is taken back with surprise and tries to struggle but to no avail. Meanwhile, Sameer is also coming back from office and as he nears his apartment, he finds Sheenam’s car in the front. Feeling excited Sameer plans on surprising her but gets surprised himself as he finds the door to the apartment wide open. Sameer goes inside thinking that she must be playing some prank on him. He calls out her name as he checks each room for her.

Meanwhile, the killer has dragged Sheenam to the bedroom and with one strong twist breaks her neck. He quickly tiptoes from the room, hiding from Sameer and quickly escapes from the house. All this while the whole house was in darkness and as Sameer enters the bedroom he stumbles onto something. He puts on the light and gets the biggest shock of his life as he finds the love of his life lying dead on the floor with her neck broken and wire-like objects were sticking out on her neck. Sameer starts panicking and initially in panic he tries to resuscitate Sheenam back to life and unknowingly removes the wire from her neck. Thus tainting the crime scene and also unwittingly implicating himself in the murder. By this time he could hear police sirens and he calls his best friend Pranav Kothari, who is a private detective and also a childhood friend of Sameer and tells him everything. Pranav listens calmly and advises him to tell everything to the police and not try to hide anything. He also promises Sameer that he will help him as best as he can. At the same time, the police also arrive on the scene along with the usual group of onlookers to the crime scene. The police immediately arrest Sameer on suspicion of murdering Sheenam despite his protest and denial.

Pranav also reaches the spot and after giving reassurances to Sameer takes permission from the Police officer in charge to take a look inside the apartment, at first the officer looks at him skeptically, but when Pranav produces his credentials and also his identity card as an ex-army officer who has worked in the nameless organs of the country’s intelligence services; the police officer allows him to take a look. While looking inside Pranav finds some clues like a footprint which does not seem that to be of Sameer; as it is too big, also finds a half-burnt cigar butt in the bedroom. He quickly collects the samples of the evidence and starts panning to launch his investigation into this.

Pranav is clever enough not to give all the evidence to the police as he knows that they might not be interested in pursuing this lead because they were satisfied with having their culprit behind bars. So he starts investigating and the first thing he does is to meet Sheenam’s parents. They were already in grief and despair and also furious at Sameer. So seeing his friend they unleash their fury on him and berate him and say that 'your friend used and manipulated our daughter, and after he got fed up, he killed her'. To which Pranav tries to console them and says 'that Sheenam and Sameer were completely in love with each other and neither of them would ever think of hurting the other one'. Still, her parents were sceptical and after a lot of persuasion told Pranav that they had a slight confrontation with Sheenam and Sameer on their decision of staying together before marriage. When asked further, Sheenam’s father said that she got very upset about this and left the house in tears. Later on, they patched up.

After getting this information Pranav next decides to meet Sameer’s boss Rajeev and plans on asking him some questions. Meeting Rajeev, Pranav senses that he is in a nervous state of mind and vaguely answers all of Pranav’s questions. When Pranav specifically asks that 'whether Sameer was pensive or distraught before this tragedy struck?' to which Rajeev looks at him and nervously answers 'yes, he was and he came to me for help'. Hearing this Pranav becomes alert and asks Rajeev to describe in detail as to what all happened the proceeding days before Sheenam’s death. Rajeev reluctantly tells him all and also says that these government men were very serious looking and meant business. Pranav now starts getting some clues and he decides to go back to his old professional colleagues for information. At first, it was very difficult but when Pranav starts exerting pressure, he comes to know about these two men who had come to meet Sameer a few days back.

While Sameer is getting anxious and frustrated as Pranav has not come to meet him for a long time and also hasn’t updated on the progress of his investigation. So he calls up Pranav and pleads with him to let him know about any progress, to which Pranav reassures him and tells him not to worry as very soon he will be out of jail. This news brightens up Sameer a little bit.

While Pranav is busy tracking down the two men who had met Sameer and they were Neeraj Kumar and Udham Rathore respectively; he gets a call from a very nervous and hyperventilating Rajeev who says that he has to meet him on an urgent basis as he has some information to disclose. Pranav on hearing this get curious and excited at the same time and asks him to meet him at a nearby café. While Rajeev is driving down in hurry to meet with Pranav, he realizes that his car brakes are not working and trying to manoeuvre his automobile he falls victim to a terrible auto accident and he dies on the spot.

When Pranav gets to know about this his suspicions grow more strongly on foul play. Sameer, on the other hand, is devastated by this news as Rajeev was not only his boss but his mentor, guide, friend and confidante also. Pranav starts exerting more pressure on his ex-colleagues after this incident and finally gets a chance to meet with Neeraj Kumar. At first glance, Pranav understood that this guy is very clever and also a professional when it comes to discussing his work. He also could make out from Neeraj’s facial expression that he was ready to give nothing and try to be to as evasive as possible. Which he did so when Pranav asked him about his interaction with Sameer and Rajeev and also saw his expression when he informed about Rajeev’s unexpected death. Neeraj had a calm expression on his face and seemed to mock Pranav by saying that 'try as hard as you can, but you will not get anything from me'. Finally, when Pranav realized that he could not get anything from Neeraj, he changed his tack and said:' I have also worked in the same department and I know you are trying to protect the department and your friend Udham'. On hearing this Neeraj had a surprised look on his face as to how come did Pranav know about Udham? Pranav just smiled at him and said that I too still have my sources inside and if you don’t come out clean, it can be damaging to both of your careers. With that, he left Neeraj deep in thought.

The very same night as Pranav was returning home, he was attacked by some unknown assailants on the way. Though he was able to save himself now his suspicion about Neeraj and Udham turned into concrete proof from just one encounter. The next day he again went to Neeraj’s house and told him to come clean about his friend and himself as Pranav had enough evidence against both of them. He also said that if Neeraj confesses, he might be able to help him. Neeraj thinks for a few minutes and at last, discloses everything about Udham and his current whereabouts. He also says that Udham was responsible for both Sheenam’s and Rajeev’s murders. Armed with this information Pranav reaches the place where Udham Rathore was staying and confronts him with the evidence. At first, Udham tries to be evasive and act overconfident but when Pranav informs him about Neeraj’s confession, he tries to attack Pranav. But Pranav is faster and subdues him quickly and also calls the police inside whom he had brought for this very purpose as he knew that Udham might try something like this. 

At last, Udham and Neeraj confess to everything; that is how they planned to sell this software to the highest bidder, and also about their misappropriating of government funds and finally of killing both Sheenam and Rajeev.

Now the police charge them with all kinds of crimes against the nation and also of murder of Rajeev and Sheenam and finally they release Sameer. Sameer is very happy to be free and the first thing he does is to go to Sheenam’s parents’ house and ask for forgiveness for everything. They also soften up and forgive him and hug him dearly. Sameer is so overwhelmed by this gesture and so grateful to Pranav that he says' when no one believed me, you were the only person who had faith in me. You were like a lighthouse to me in windy seas'. Pranav just smiles and hugs him dearly and says 'that’s what friends are for'.

With that, he takes his leave from Sameer and boards his flight for another mystery to solve and another innocent life to save.