Salman Rushdie Midnight's children Salman Rushdie Midnight's ...

filled his cell, and although he asked to be placed on an ascetic's diet o
f rice and water, well wishers inundated him with tiffin carriers filled wi
th birianis and pista ki lauz and other rich foods. And, jumping the queue
in the Criminal Court, the case began in double quick time… The prosecution
said, 'The charge is murder in the first degree.'
Stern jawed, strong eyed, Commander Sabarmati replied: 'Not guilty.'
My mother said, 'O my God, the poor man, so sad, isn't it?' I said, 'But an
unfaithful wife is a terrible thing, Amma…' and she turned away her head.
The prosecution said, 'Here is an open and shut case. Here is motive, opportu
nity, confession, corpse and premeditation: the gun signed out, the children
sent to the cinema, the detective's report. What else to say? The state rests
.'
And public opinion: 'Such a good man, Allah!'
Ismail Ibrahim said: 'This is a case of attempted suicide.'
To which, public opinion: '?????????'
Ismail Ibrahim expounded: 'When the Commander received Dom Minto's report, h
e wanted to see for himself if it was true; and if so, to kill himself. He s
igned out the gun; it was for himself. He went to the Colaba address in a sp
irit of despair only; not as killer, but as dead man! But there seeing his w
ife there, jury members! seeing her half clothed with her shameless lover! j
ury members, this good man, this great man saw red. Red, absolutely, and whi
le seeing red he did his deeds. Thus there is no premeditation, and so no mu
rder in the first degree. Killing yes, but not cold blooded. Jury members, y
ou must find him not guilty as charged.'
And buzzing around the city was, 'No, too much… Ismail Ibrahim has gone
too far this time… but, but… he has got a jury composed mostly of women…
and not rich ones… therefore doubly susceptible, to the Commander's cha
rm and the lawyer's wallet… who knows? Who can tell?' The jury said, 'No
t guilty.'
My mother cried, 'Oh wonderful!… But, but: is it justice?' And thejudge, ans
wering her: 'Using the powers vested in me, I reverse this absurd verdict. G
uilty as charged.'
O, the wild furor of those days! When Naval dignitaries and bishops and oth
er politicians demanded, 'Sabarmati must stay in the Navy jail pending High
Court appeal. The bigotry of one judge must not ruin this great man!' And
police authorities, capitulating, 'Very well.' The Sabarmati Case goes rush
ing upwards, hurtling towards High Court hearing at unprecedented speed… an
d the Commander tells his lawyer, 'I feel as though destiny is no longer in
my control; as though something has taken over… let us call it Fate.'
I say: 'Call it Saleem, or Snotnose, or Sniffer, or Stainface; call it little piec
e of the moon.'
The High Court verdict: 'Guilty as charged.' The press headlines: sabarmati