Devil’s Advocate continues ………….

Soon the inspection was over and my entourage was ushered to a garden within the jail premises for tea and refreshments. Plastic chairs and tables were laid out neatly on a manicured lawn surrounded by rows of flowers in bloom, overhanging trees and an artificial lake full of geese. Alongside was a flock of pigeons feeding merrily under the setting sun. I was told by the gardener that the pigeons were set free early every morning and by evening they returned to their allotted pigeonholes without fail. The sylvan surroundings belied the fact that we were sitting in a jail and being served tea by people convicted of heinous offences.

By now, I was totally at ease. The convicts, when seen in flesh and blood inside a jail, were the antithesis of whatever we imagine them to be. They were calm, docile and seemed at peace with themselves. I felt the time was right to ask further questions about the tall and muscular man who had led us all the way through my inspection.

I turned to the superintendent and inquired, ‘Whom did the man who walked ahead of us murder?’

The superintendent was not too sure. His deputy came to his help. ‘Sir, he was an advocate who lived in Model Town.’

I wanted to know more because by now several bells were ringing in my head.

‘What was the advocate’s name?’ I asked impatiently. His reply hit me like the proverbial bolt from the blue, leaving me shaken.
‘Sir, his name was Bawa Gurcharan Singh.’ ‘Oh my god, is that so?’ I blurted involuntarily.
I had known Bawa Gurcharan Singh, an eminent advocate, only too well. Not only had I known him, I was deeply indebted to him. Nearly twenty years ago he had come to my rescue when I faced trying times fighting a public interest litigation (PIL) filed against my officers and myself. The circumstances were such that no other advocate was willing to take our brief and argue our case in the Delhi High Court. But, more about that later.

To be Continued ………….