Public Prosecutor Mathur names an accused, Sandeep Mishra, and three other suspects who had arranged the homicide of Lucknow-based journalist Monica. The trio are Aseem Ray – a wealthy publisher; Pamela Grewal – a businesswoman; and Chandrakant Pandit – the former Telecom Minister and soon-to-be Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. With odds stacked heavily against him, Mathur presents, what is an apparent circumstantial case before a female judge, and must prove beyond a reasonable shadow of doubt, that Sandeep was directly involved – even though direct evidence indicates that the murder was committed by two unknown males, and that the deceased victim lived a dual life.—rAjOo (gunwanti@hotmail.com)
