Three Weeks Later – Salem, Tamil Nadu
The verdict against MLA Arumugam had shaken the political ecosystem like a thunderclap. The ruling class was rattled. Corrupt bureaucrats were laying low. News anchors debated legal ethics every night. Social media was flooded with praise, memes, and interviews.
And at the heart of it all was one man: Advocate Mano Kanagaraj.
But with fame… came scrutiny.
---
Inside Mano's Office – Late Evening
A bouquet of jasmine sat untouched on the desk. Dozens of letters, congratulatory notes, and even offers from national parties lay scattered across the table. Jothi walked in holding a newspaper.
"Another editorial today. 'Salem's Vigilante Advocate.' They're calling you the modern-day K. Kamaraj."
Mano glanced up, exhausted. "They don't know the full picture."
He looked out the window, where a small group of villagers had gathered, holding signs that read:
> "THANK YOU MANO SIR!"
"LAW IS ALIVE AGAIN!"
"PEOPLE'S ADVOCATE!"
---
> [Lex System Notification: Reputation Level Up – Tier: Known Advocate → People's Advocate]
Effect: Increased media coverage, higher case referrals, political visibility
Warning: Past records and sealed files may be investigated
Jothi noticed the alert. "What does that mean?"
Mano said nothing.
Instead, he pulled out an old, worn folder from the locked drawer beneath his desk.
Label: Disciplinary Inquiry – 2015
Status: Sealed by Bar Council
Jothi's expression turned serious. "Is that… about the Kumbakonam land case?"
Mano nodded slowly. "The one case I lost. The one they buried—along with my reputation."
---
Flashback – 2015
A younger, idealistic Mano stood alone in the courtroom, arguing against a powerful landowner who had evicted a tribal village near Kumbakonam. He had evidence, witnesses, and local support.
But his chief witness vanished. The file went missing. And the Bar Council accused Mano of forging a land title to bolster his case.
He was suspended for two years.
And in shame, he disappeared—until now.
---
Back to Present
Jothi tapped the table. "Someone's digging that case up again."
"How do you know?"
Jothi slid over a photo—an email trail from an anonymous source to a Chennai news channel:
> "Check Kanagaraj's sealed 2015 file. Witness tampering? Forged affidavit? No smoke without fire."
Mano exhaled deeply.
> [Lex System Alert: Scandal Risk Detected – Reputation Integrity Threatened]
Suggestion: Reinvestigate 2015 Kumbakonam Case
Hidden Bonus: Redeem Past Failure
"I'm not hiding," Mano finally said. "Let them open it. In fact… I'll do it myself."
---
Next Day – Bar Council of Tamil Nadu, Chennai
Mano stood before the administrative bench.
"I am requesting voluntary disclosure of my sealed 2015 inquiry file. I want the case reopened."
The senior member looked stunned. "Are you sure? If tampering is proven, your license could be revoked permanently."
"If I don't face it now, it'll haunt every step forward," Mano said.
---
Meanwhile – Unknown Location
Inside a posh bungalow in Anna Nagar, Chennai, a man in white linen sat watching the news.
"This man's becoming dangerous," he said, swirling his glass of brandy. "First Arumugam. Now reopening old cases. What if he connects that Kumbakonam case to us?"
Another voice from the shadows: "Then we bury him. Permanently."
> New Antagonist Introduced: Retd. Justice V. Guhan – Former High Court Judge, Real Estate Magnate, Political Fixer
---
Back in Salem
As rain hit the rooftop, Mano looked through old photos from 2015—villagers driven off their land, their huts burned, their fields plowed over.
Jothi leaned over.
"You think there's still a trail?"
"There always is," Mano said. "Truth leaves a shadow—even when justice turns off the light."
---
> [Lex System Activated: Volume Transition Detected]
✅ Volume 1: Verdict Begins – Completed
🔓 Volume 2: Judgement Echoes – Unlocked
New Objectives:
• Reinvestigate Kumbakonam Eviction Case
• Expose Judicial Corruption Network
• Survive Political and Media Warfare