Part 14
Kaveri Poddar had always been a woman who held her family's honor above everything else. Her pride, meticulously built over decades, was her fortress. And if an innocent girl like Abhira had seen the worst of her wrath just for being a perceived threat, there was no doubt that the woman responsible for actually bringing her family's pride crashing down would face something far worse. She had learned long ago that survival in this world required ruthless cunning, and she had no intention of letting Ruhi—the real destroyer—walk away unscathed. If Abhira had faced her wrath just because Kaveri perceived her as a threat, then the real enemy would see a side of Kaveri far more terrifying.
When Ruhi herself brought up the supposed accident caused by her maasi—an event that had taken her mother away—Kaveri Poddar seized the opportunity to twist the knife deeper. The court was silent as Ruhi tearfully recounted the tragic night, her voice shaking as she spoke of the years of pain and unanswered questions. Ruhi had always been a master of manipulation, adept at playing the victim when it suited her agenda. In the courtroom, she stood there, tears in her eyes, recounting the tragic death of her mother, supposedly caused by her maasi in an accident years ago. It was a performance—one carefully orchestrated to evoke sympathy from the court, to paint herself as the wounded party. She had used this tactic before, knowing how to twist the narrative in her favor, no matter how far from the truth it strayed.
But the judge seemed unmoved by her theatrics. He remained silent as she concluded her tearful testimony, then, with an even tone, adjourned the session for a two-hour break.
What Ruhi didn't realize was that those two hours would become her undoing. She walked out of the courtroom feeling the satisfaction of having played her part, ignoring the warnings from her lawyer. He advised her to stop with the dramatics, urging her to focus on the facts. But Ruhi, consumed by her need to play the victim, brushed him off. She believed that her performance had been flawless, that her tears had done their work. Afterall they always worked with her family, and Poddar family for a long run until Rohith blew her veil. What she didn't know was that Kaveri had already begun to turn the tide against her, planning her next move. She didn't realize that her opposition lawyer was a Poddar firm associate. She didn't know that Sanjay Bansal was overseeing the case. She didn't know that they would claim a thorough evidence check for her dramatics.
When it was time to hear from Manish Goenka, Suwarna, and Surekha—the elder statesmen of the family—the atmosphere grew even more intense.
As they were asked to confirm details about the tragic accident involving their granddaughter, the courtroom held its breath. Manish Goenka, the family's patriarch, spoke first, his voice steady as he confirmed the events of that fateful night. Suwarna followed, her eyes downcast but her words clear, as she too recounted the sorrow that had fallen upon their family. Surekha added her voice, detailing the grief and disbelief that had overtaken them when they lost their granddaughter.
The judge, however, was far from swayed by mere recounting of events. His next question cut through the air like a knife. "If you were so certain that this accident was caused by Ruhi's maasi, why didn't you lodge a formal complaint? Why did this matter remain hidden for so long?"
The room fell into a tense silence. Manish hesitated for the first time, exchanging uneasy glances with Suwarna and Surekha. There was no easy answer to that question, and the judge knew it. The hesitation only made it clear that something had been concealed, and the truth had yet to fully emerge.
Manish cleared his throat, visibly uncomfortable. "At the time, we were overwhelmed with grief," he began, "and there were... family dynamics that complicated things. We believed handling the matter privately would spare us further pain."
But the judge was not satisfied. "Grief is no excuse for withholding justice," he replied sternly. "You may not have filed a complaint, but this court is not interested in emotional excuses. We are here to seek the truth. I am sure there was an inquiry if it was an accident."
Manish begrudgingly accepted that there was an inquiry and his grandson Kairav, and Abhimanyu Birla handled that aspect. As the inquiry records were pulled up the next day, the truth that had been buried under layers of family dynamics and grief began to surface. Thanks to Madhav Poddar's respectable position in the police department, the process was swift, and the Goenkas, once sure of their narrative, now faced a chilling revelation.
The courtroom was filled with a mix of disbelief and anticipation as the details from the old inquiry were read aloud. What emerged from the records wasn't the neatly tied-up story of an unfortunate accident that Ruhi had painted. Instead, it exposed a far more complicated and unsettling truth.
The judge listened intently, his expression hardening as the facts became clear. The inquiry had revealed that on that fateful night, it was not Ruhi's maasi who had been at fault. It was Ruhi herself. Though just a child at the time, Ruhi had somehow managed to start the car. In a panic, Akshara, Ruhi's maasi, had desperately tried to regain control of the vehicle, but her efforts were in vain. The chaos that ensued had been tragically inevitable.
But that wasn't all. Ruhi's mother, who was also involved in the accident, had been standing in the middle of the road, oblivious to the oncoming danger. She was distracted, on a phone call, and hadn't heard the loud warnings from her sister or from the chaos around her. The inquiry report detailed how, in the crucial moments when she could have saved herself, she was too engrossed in the conversation to react. The inquiry reports also mentioned that the testimonials were verified with the help of CCTV cameras around.
As the findings were read, the weight of the truth crushed the courtroom into silence. The Goenkas, previously steadfast in their belief that Ruhi was an innocent victim, now looked stunned. The realization that they had not only been wrong but had allowed this false narrative to fester for years was overwhelming. Ruhi, the one who had so expertly played the victim card in court, had unwittingly been the cause of the tragic accident that took her mother's life.
The judge, now more stern than ever, addressed the room. "It appears that the true events of that night were obscured, whether by grief or by intent. This inquiry makes it clear that the negligence was not on the part of the accused but from within the family itself."
The judge's gavel struck with a heavy thud, snapping the courtroom out of its stunned silence. His gaze was fixed on Ruhi, who now stood pale, trembling, and exposed in front of everyone. The evidence from the inquiry had not only unraveled the truth of the tragic accident from years ago but had also brought to light the extent of Ruhi's manipulation.
"Ms. Ruhi Goenka," the judge began, his voice stern and unyielding, "the facts presented here not only reveal the true cause of the accident that took your mother's life but also expose your blatant attempt to mislead this court. You have not only twisted the narrative to paint yourself as the victim but have also manipulated your family into supporting your falsehoods. This court takes such actions seriously."
Ruhi's lawyer attempted to intervene, but the judge silenced him with a raised hand. "There will be no more dramatics in my courtroom. You've had your chance to speak, and now, it is time for justice."
Turning his attention to the Goenka family, the judge's expression hardened. "Mr. Manish Goenka, Mrs. Suwarna Goenka, and Mrs. Surekha Goenka, your failure to act responsibly in the wake of this tragedy and your continued support of Ruhi's fabrications have brought disgrace upon your family and hindered the pursuit of justice. Your willingness to stand by false narratives has done immeasurable damage, not only to the accused but to the truth itself. The court does not look kindly upon those who assist in perpetuating lies, especially in matters as grave as this."
Manish, Suwarna, and Surekha, visibly shaken, lowered their heads in shame. The weight of their silence and complicity over the years had finally caught up with them.
"Had you come forward with the truth earlier," the judge continued, "the court may have been more lenient. But your silence, coupled with Ruhi's manipulations, has only worsened the situation. Grief, as I've said before, is no excuse for withholding justice."
The room was tense as the judge prepared to deliver his verdict on Ruhi's actions in the present case. "Ms. Ruhi Goenka, your attempt to manipulate this court, coupled with your reckless actions that resulted in the death of your mother, cannot go unpunished. This court finds you responsible not only for your negligence in the past but also for your conscious effort to distort the truth in this present case."
He paused, letting the gravity of his words sink in.
"As a result, this court is charging you with perjury for your false statements, obstruction of justice for attempting to manipulate courtroom dynamics, and reckless endangerment for your actions that contributed to your mother's untimely death. Additionally, I find that your continued deceit has directly led to the injury and suffering of others in the present case, for which you will face severe legal consequences."
Ruhi's face drained of color as the charges mounted against her.
The judge then turned back to the Goenka family. "Your support for Ruhi's lies has enabled this behavior, and while the court will not press charges against you, I strongly recommend you reconsider the values you've chosen to uphold. Your inaction has caused significant harm."With a final strike of his gavel, the judge concluded, "The court will reconvene to determine the appropriate sentencing for Ms. Ruhi Goenka's actions. Until then, she will remain in custody."
As the courtroom slowly emptied, the Goenkas sat in silence, the weight of their choices hanging heavily upon them. Ruhi, once so confident in her ability to control the narrative, now faced the full force of the justice system—a consequence of her own making.
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No one visited Ruhi while she was in custody. The once-proud Goenka family, now weighed down by shame and regret, distanced themselves from the niece they had fiercely protected for so many years. The courtroom revelation had shattered the family's illusions, leaving them to confront the consequences of their hypocrisy.
Manish Goenka, his once-steadfast resolve crumbling under the weight of guilt. The tears he shed now were not just for the disgrace Ruhi had brought upon their family but for the realization that he had driven away the one person who truly needed his protection—his granddaughter, Akshara.
Years ago, in an effort to protect Ruhi, they had turned their backs on Akshara. She had been pregnant and grieving the sudden death of her husband, but instead of supporting her, they had pushed her away, blaming her for circumstances she could not control. All to protect Ruhi, without diving deep into the truth behind the tragic accident that had claimed her mother's life.
Manish wept not just for the family's pride, which had been reduced to ashes, but for the lost opportunity to stand by Akshara when she had needed him most. He remembered how Akshara had been so strong, even when the world around her was falling apart. He had failed her. In the process of shielding Ruhi, they had broken Akshara's spirit, forcing her to leave the home that should have been her sanctuary. And now, after all these years, the truth had emerged, leaving Manish to grapple with the haunting realization that his granddaughter had suffered alone. He longed to turn back time, to correct his mistakes, to embrace Akshara and tell her he was sorry—that he had been wrong to turn her away when she was most vulnerable. But the past could not be undone, and the silence between them now felt insurmountable.
Ruhi sat alone in her cell, the weight of her actions crashing down upon her like a tidal wave. The courtroom revelations had not only exposed her own guilt but had also illuminated the immense sacrifices made by those she had wronged.
She had always seen herself as the victim, convinced that her maasi, Akshara, had been the source of her suffering. But now, faced with the truth, Ruhi's heart ached with a profound guilt she had never known. Akshara, who had once been a mother figure to her, had tried to protect her from the truth, shielding her from the full weight of her actions. It was Akshara who had shouldered the burden of guilt and grief, attempting to shield Ruhi from the responsibility of the tragic accident that had claimed her own mother's life. Ruhi's resentment and blame had been misplaced, and now, in the quiet of her confinement, she realized the depth of her mistake.
Ruhi's actions had not only driven away her maasi but had also isolated her from the rest of her family. Her blind pursuit of self-preservation had led to the estrangement of those who had once been close. The shame she had brought upon her family, the lies she had spun, and the manipulations she had employed had created an impenetrable barrier between herself and the family who once cared for her.
In her mind, she saw the faces of those she had hurt. She had pushed away Akshara, who had been a mother figure during her formative years, and now, with her actions revealed, she had driven away her B-nanu—Manish Goenka. His tears and regret were a testament to the pain and disappointment she had caused. Ruhi had thought only of herself, failing to see how her actions had destroyed relationships and shattered the bonds of family.
As she reflected on the past, Ruhi felt an overwhelming sense of remorse. The family she had driven away, the pain she had inflicted, and the guilt she had avoided were now inescapable. Her attempts to manipulate the situation had only deepened the chasm between herself and her loved ones.
Ruhi's realization was both crushing and clarifying. She understood now that her actions had consequences far beyond what she had initially imagined. She had lost not only the support of her family but also her own sense of self-respect and dignity. The realization that she had been the architect of her own isolation was a bitter pill to swallow. And as she faced the harsh reality of her situation, she could only hope that someday, somehow, there might be a path to redemption—if not for herself, then at least for the family she had betrayed.
Author's note:
I did not watch generation 3. I have only written this chapter based on my understanding. So, please don't take it to heart if this offended you. This is fiction. So please consider this as a fictional work. If this is not what happened in the show, consider it as derailing from the original story like the entire fanfic.
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