Yugh took the stand, his demeanor calm and resolute. After being sworn in, Ms. Maria began her examination. đ€”ââïž
"Mr. Singh, please describe your relationship to the plaintiff, Ms. Anisa, and the defendant, Mr. Hasan."
"Anisa is my business partner and friend. Hasan was her fiancĂ©. I had strong suspicions about his character," Yugh stated. đ€
"And what led to these suspicions?"
"On April 6th, I was at the 'Urban CafĂ©'. I overheard a conversation between Mr. Hasan and his friends, Jaden and Mark." Yugh then proceeded to recount the conversation verbatim, the crude comments about Anisa, Jaden's admission of touching her feet, Mark's attempt to touch her leg, and most damningly, Hasan's own words: "She's my ticket to the big time you're messing with," and his admission that he was only marrying Anisa for her family's property. đ€š
A stunned silence fell over the courtroom. Hasan visibly paled.
"To corroborate this testimony and the subsequent assault, I present this as evidence," Ms. Maria said, addressing the judge. She submitted a USB drive. "This is secured CCTV footage from the Urban CafĂ©, dated April 6th, showing the verbal exchange described by the witness and the subsequent physical assault by Mr. Hasan and his associates on Mr. Singh." đŹ
The judge ordered the footage to be played on a screen. The courtroom watched in silence as the grainy but clear video showed the heated conversation and then Hasan and his friends violently attacking Yugh, who was kicked while on the ground. The evidence was visceral and undeniable.
Mr. Peter, looking increasingly cornered, rose for cross-examination. He had to attack Yugh's credibility. đ
"Mr. Singh, you claim to be a concerned friend. Yet, isn't it true that you have your own romantic interest in Ms. Anisa? That your so-called 'concern' is merely jealousy?" He then presented a photo to the court. "I submit this photograph, taken during a professional trip, showing Ms. Anisa and Mr. Singh in a compromising position on the ground. This reveals the witness's bias and the true motive behind his testimony, to eliminate his rival."
The photo of Anisa on top of Yugh after her fall was displayed. A new wave of whispers spread. đ„
Ms. Maria did not flinch. "Your Honor, if I may? The defense is presenting a manipulated narrative. To clarify the context of this image, I request permission to call a brief rebuttal witness: Ms. Seyda, an employee of AZ Studio who was present on that trip."
"Permission granted." đ
Seyda was called forward. Nervous but determined, she was sworn in.
"Ms. Seyda, were you present when this photograph was taken?" Ms. Maria asked. đž
"Yes."
"Can you please describe to the court what was happening at that exact moment?" đ
"Madam Anisa had slipped and was about to fall down a steep slope. Sir Yugh ran over and saved her. He pulled her to safety, and they both fell from the momentum. That's what this photo showsâa rescue, not a romantic liaison. I... I was the one who took the photo, but I misunderstood the situation at the time and later showed it to Mr. Hasan with a wrong implication," Seyda confessed, her voice full of regret.
The defense's attempt to discredit Yugh had spectacularly backfired, instead introducing a witness who corroborated his heroic character and further exposed Hasan's willingness to distort the truth. The web of lies was unraveling completely. đ