With the successful conduction of the three editions of a competition which nurtures the art of building, defending and arguing a case in the courtroom, National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi is all geared up for hosting the fourth edition of the National Trial Advocacy Competition. Standing among the few trial advocacy competitions in the country, NTAC, a flagship event of NUSRL, is directed towards encouraging the students of law to delve into the intricacies of criminal litigation before facing courtroom trials.

 The moot problem can be found here

With a student participation from across the country, in this edition of NTAC. we are all set to  host 10 teams from different law universities across India.

• Chanakya National Law University, Patna
• Faculty of Law, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi
• Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar
• KIIT School of Law, Bhubaneshwar
• New Law College, Bharti Vidyapeeth University, Pune
• School of Law, Christ University, Bangalore
• Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad
• Symbiosis Law School, Pune
• The Law College, Utkal University
• University Law College, Utkal University

 

The competition is all set to begin from the 13th of September, 2019 with an inauguration followed by the Researcher’s test  for the much coveted title of the Best Researcher. And after the draw of lots that determine who would face whom in the preliminary rounds, the teams may retire for the day and prep themselves for the rounds that follow.

Continuing with the tradition, we bring for you an entertaining narration of the competition. From the strategy formulation in the bar to the effective adjudication by the bench, the live blogging team at NUSRL promises you an interesting and informative read.

 

DAY 1: INAUGURATION, REGISTRATION AND RESEARCHERS' TEST

 

REGISTRATION: The stepping stones to a competition!

12.10 PM- The teams have arrived at the Registration desk and are patiently waiting for their turn. Neither the tiring journey nor the anxiety of the competition could overpower the enthusiasm of the participants.

12.50 PM- All queries regarding the format of the trial advocacy competition are cleared. The teams proceed to take their seats for the inauguration ceremony is scheduled in the next few minutes. 

 

INAUGURATION

1.30 PM- The Moot Court Hall is resonating with the voices of the participants. The chatter soon transforms in a respectful silence with the arrival of the guests. 

For the inauguration ceremony, we have with us Justice Vikramaditya Prasad, former justice of the Jharkhand HIgh Court and present chairman of the Permanent Committee constituted under WP(C) 360/93 (Supreme Court of India). Joining him to grace the ceremony is Professor (Dr.) V Kesava Rao, Vice Chancellor, National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi and a renowned name in the 

3..45 PM- While the researchers are busy moving further in their quest to win the Best Researchers’ title, the other members of the team proceed  with the draw of lots for the preliminary rounds scheduled for the next day. 

5.00 PM- The participants and the organizing committee retire for the day. 

 

DAY 2: PRELIMINARY ROUNDS

 

And it begins! The judges have been briefed and the witnesses are being prepared. The preliminary rounds are underway. All the teams are up and running like battle machines and are ready to go to war. By the looks of it, the teams seem to have burned the midnight oil toiling for glory. The teams are prepared; who shall win? That we shall see!

 

Court Room 1- NTAC-09  v. NTAC-01

 

Bench: Mr.Vipul Poddar & Mr.Parth Jalan

09:50 AM- The participants have arrived and are briefing the witnesses about the intricacies of the trial. The participants are making ardent efforts to resolve every inkling of doubt that the witnesses might have

09:57 AM- The teams are full of zeal but are anxious at the same time.The witnesses nod while being briefed as they try to comprehend the whole picture of the trial.  With every passing minute, the level of stress is rising in the courtroom.The teams are making a vigorous and determined attempt to make the witnesses understand the situation clearly.

10:23 AM- 7 more minutes left for the briefing. The teams are revising the keypoints with their witnesses. Well, we will find out soon enough.

The time for briefing the witnesses ends.The teams are seated and witnesses are asked to leave the courtroom. Prep yourselves for being an audience to an exciting courtroom scene.

11:02 AM- All rise! The judges are in the courtroom. The teams put their best faces on to warmly welcome the judges. The judges are going through the memorials. An air of calm and excitement in the room.

11:18 AM-The court is now in session.The Prosecution  has asked permission to begin and has been granted the same. She opens the case for the prosecution.

Examination in chief by the Prosecution

11:22 AM-The counsel for the Defence started confidently, arguing wonderfully while supporting her arguments with proper authorities, but seems to slightly lose the calm when moving ahead.

11:32 AM-The prosecution starts with the trial and the witness is called upon for examination.The first PW comes and took the solemn oath. The judges are trying to comprehend the timeline and is engaged continuously with the prosecution. The defense stays mute.                 

11:43 AM-The prosecution keeps on calling their countless witnesses.The brevity of the witness was appreciated by the judge. There is a long rail of constant questioning and answering between the counsel of the Defence and the prosecution witness.

11:55 AM-The counsel of Defence is doing a commendable job, being very adept in asking pertinent questions. Even when there are cool breezes outside the temperature of the room is heated by the arguments and questioning going here inside.

12:15 PM- The PW goes perplexed while answering. He was questioned so cleverly that he was clueless about what he should say next. The witness was stammering and stuttering while answering the questions. 

12:40 PM- The DW is now being called upon. His demeanor was eloquent of the hesitance he was trying to mask.. However, the DW was quiet sharp-witted. His answers filled the otherwise tending to be monotonous environment of the courtroom.  

12:55 PM- The defence is done with their examination.The prosecution now starts with their sets of questions.The counsel on behalf of the prosecution is literally bombarding the witness with questions  leaving very less time for the DW to present his explanations.

13:02 PM- The judges were time and again advising the prosecution to ask only relevant questions.The prosecution very critically pointed out fallacies in the answers of the defence witness.

13:15 PM- The judges now questioned the teams on the intricacies of the trial. The  prosecution is trying every possible way to establish its point. The prosecution is done with their closing statement. The prosecution team stands and prays before the judges for the accused to be adjudged guilty. The defense begins with its closing statement.

13:28 PM- The judges question the defense on certain points.The judges were impressed by some answers however unsatisfied by some others.The defence relied on cases to elaborate their part.They vehemently tried to champion the innocence of the accused.

13:50 PM-The defense is done with their closing statement and reads the prayer before the hon'ble judges. The teams wait  as the judges do the compilation of scores and take the decision.

 

Court Room 2- NTAC-08 v. NTAC- 02

 

Bench: Mr. Akchansh Kishore and Ms. Apoorva Singh  

9:45 AM- Both the defence and the prosecution are prepping their witnesses very carefully providing them with notes and  advising them ahead of the proceedings. The witnesses seem to be all prepared and boosted with confidence for what shall follow.

10:15 AM- And so briefing of the witnesses for the first preliminary round comes to an end.The participants seem ready for the proceedings  The Prosecution side is wishing luck to all the witnesses..

10:30 AM- The participants are eagerly waiting for their rounds to begin.The level of enthusiasm in the room is palpable. We are about to begin with the preliminary rounds shortly, for what promises to be one riveting competition. Stay tuned to this space for more!

11:00 AM- The Honourable Judges have been escorted to the courtrooms. ALL RISE!! 

The judges have taken their respective seats and we have begun with the judges briefing. LET THE COURTROOM DRAMA BEGIN!

11:15 AM- The Counsel for the prosecution has sought permission to approach the dias and looks very confident in his demeanour. The Counsel is walking the judges through the facts of the case and the judges are all ears. The Counsel has very confidently presented his opening argument and has returned to his place. 

11:25 AM- The Counsel for the Defence has presented the judges with a Vakalatnama before presenting his opening statement. The prosecution posed a sharp objection pertaining to the admissiblity of the document that was unheard of before trial began. 

Opening Statement by the Counsel on behalf of the Prosecution

11:30 AM- The Judges are closely scrutinizing the statements made by the counsel for defense. The counsel seems pretty baffled and his confidence seems to be shaken. The Counsel has managed to move past that and is presenting his opening arguments. 

11:35 AM-  The judge has asked the counsel for the defense to succinctly state the facts of the case. The judges are advising the participants to stick to the relevancy of the presented facts with the case.

11:40 AM- The counsel for prosecution has called their first witness,the investigating officer of the case, to the stand. The Witness seems to be  pretty confused as the prosecution begins with the Chief Examination. 

11:50 AM- The prosecution claims that the defense is wasting the time of the court by putting forth irrelevant questions. The defense side looks tense. The researcher from the defense side is hurriedly taking down notes. 

12:10 PM- The judges are testing the knowledge of the witness. The cross for PW 2 has started. The Counsel for defense has swiftly proceeded to the stand for cross. There is an air of tension in the courtroom between the prosecution and the defence as the prosecution claims that the defence is misleading the witness.

12:25 PM- The defence is dexterously putting forth his questions and carefully playing with the head of the witness. PW 2 seems a little confused. The counsel has presented the chargesheet to PW 2 and is dissecting his testimony, piece by piece, to his advantage.

12:35 PM- The defense seem to have misunderstood certain facts of the case and the decision of the tribunal which the prosecution is repeatedly pointing out to the judges. Here the judges call for a short break here!

12:45 PM- The next witness is called upon and she as she takes the solemn oath, she is bombarded with questions. With the judges carefully inspecting the testimony of the witness, no details are allowed to go unclarified.

1:05 PM- The witness is very carefully dodging the questions of the defense during the cross. The judge asks the witness not to take any cue from counsel’s questions while answering. The defense points out certain questions and hence comes to the end of his cross examination.

1:17 PM- Defense has called in their first witness to the stand, the second party to the case. The judges scrutinise  his statements carefully. The witness was called out by the prosecution for wrongly stating his age.(Well, maybe he’s trying to pass as a youngster in front of the ladies, Counsel!)

1:30 PM- The judges are lending a patient ear to what the witness has to say about the events and are questioning him on the same. While the Judges take some time to confer among themselves, the teams are scanning through their memorials with cursory eyes, seeking the essence of their arguments to come to a close of the trial.

1:43 PM- The witness gets very emotional while recalling and describing to the court  his plight, when the incident took place.  but is firmly asked to adhere to the law point and not get “swayed with emotions. The prosecution comes to stand to cross examine the witness with a strong composure.. The counsel presents  the witness with a line of questioning and the witness seems to be quizzical. The counsel carefully plays with the head of the witness.

1:55 PM- The prosecution proceeds with the cross and he  kept it quite short and to the point. The prosecution has managed to gain a slight edge during the cross examination of Defense Witness 2. This seems like a contest which will go down the wire.

2:00 PM- The defense calls in  their third witness.The prosecution accuse the defense of signalling their witness and one of the judges was quick to put out the fire before it  started. (PHEW!! Because no one wants to go down that road, right?)

2:20 PM- The counsel approaches the dias to deliver his closing arguments and  while doing so he claims that the defense could not not prove a reasonable doubt. The prosecution substantiates the assertions forwarded, by citing few landmark judgments. coherence between the facts and the charges levied on the accused was established. The prosecution is a little bit over time but the court allows him an extension. The Prosecution, after an artful display of tact, rests the case.

 

Court Room 3- NTAC- 03 v. NTAC- 05

 

Bench: Ms. Kirti Saboo and Ms. Khalida Haya Rashmi

9: 50 AM- The prosecution and defence look sharp as ever and are all geared up for the competition. The witness briefing has commenced, making the courtroom brim with enthusiasm and nerves.

 

The judges make sure that they look through every detail.

10: 05 AM- The excitement here is contagious, as a wave of murmur has engulfed the courtroom. The witnesses seem like they are trying hard to be true to their characters. Both the witnesses and the participants look prepared as the briefing is about to come to an end. The final touches are being made to ensure that the trial runs smoothly.

10: 36 AM- As the briefing is being wrapped up, the witness proceed to the waiting area. The participants look more focused with each passing second. And, now, the trial awaits!

11: 07 AM- The prosecution approaching the dias marks the beginning of the trial. The Counsel, on behalf of the Prosecution, proceeds to deliver the opening statement. With the opening statement being made, the prosecution is fairly successful in calling attention to the matter at hand.

11:11 AM- With a strong start, the counsel on behalf of the Defense, has taken  its place to defend the charges. Ms. Kirti Saboo, J., has taken up the role of actively questioning the counsel. The time has come to call the witnesses. This has paved way for Chief Examination with PW1.  After that being done, PW2 and PW3 are escorted in the courtroom one by one for their stories to be heard.

11: 33 AM- After the judges were satisfied by the narratives of the past witnesses, the Prosecution then proceeded to call upon PW 4 for further examination.  The judges took an active stance in the chief examination, as they intently challenged the arguments presented by the Prosecution.

11: 54 AM- With a concluding note, the chief examination of the prosecution witnesses comes to an end. This initiates the cross examination of the Prosecution witnesses  by the Defence. The Counsel, on behalf of the Defendant, adroitly interrogated the witnesses, rendering them second guessing their own sides.

12: 13 AM-  The judges’ seem more hooked with each passing second as they vehemently keep on countering the arguments presented by the Defence in the cross examination conducted by them. The witnesses look anxious and are trying to be cautious with their narratives, to persuade both the judges and the defence.

12: 28 PM- Being all decked out, the Defence tried its hand at moulding the facts in its favour. Whether it was successful or not will be answered later. With that being said, the cross examination of the Prosecution Witnesses stands completed, and now the time has arrived for the Chief Examination of the Defence Witnesses.

12: 37 PM- The Defence proved that its strongest facility is acutely focusing on details. But this does not seem to deter the judges in any way as they effectively badger the witness with questions and take notes of his responses. The Judges are evidently enjoying the trial as they sport ceaseless smile and share looks with each other.

12: 48 PM- Being meticulous observers, no detail seem to escape the Judges’ attention. They are thoroughly invested in the angles highlighted by various witnesses. The Defence with sharp contention examined the Accused’s statement and this was followed by the questions directed by the judges.

1: 07 PM- As the Chief examination of the Defence witnesses is completed, resumed its position at the dias to cross examine the Defence Witnesses. The cross examination kicks off with the interrogation of the Accused.

1:16 PM- The Prosecution actively probed the Defence Witnesses with acute notes and observations. Arguments and counter arguments were advanced.

1:31 PM- Albeit the Prosecution was off to a slow start, it picked up the pace during the cross-examination. From the looks of it, the Judges are impressed by the Prosecution’s role in the cross-examination.

1:38 PM- An air of satisfaction indicates the completion of cross-examination of the Defence witnesses by the Prosecution. As the end grows nearer, the courtroom is enveloped by excitability and nervousness. Now it’s time for the witness statements to be framed and followed by the delivery of closing arguments. 

 

Court Room 4- NTAC-07 v. NTAC- 04

 

Bench: Mr. Vibhor Mayank and Mr. Saurabh Raj

9.53 AM- The teams are briefing the witnesses. All the witnesses look anxious  

10.20 AM- The witnesses look well rehearsed. They are referring to the sheets and covering every nook as there’s no room for error. Rigorous elucidation is being given by both the teams.   

10.45 AM - The entire courtroom is filled with the reverberating voices of the counsels briefing the witnesses and the reiteration of the instructions has made the witnesses more anxious which can be easily comprehended. 

11.02 AM- The pleasant weather of Ranchi is not having any impact on the counsels as the sweat of anxiety has laced the participants.

11.10 AM-The judges arrive and so does the influx of emotions which is evidently conspicuous in the courtroom. The prosecution counsel approaches the dais to address the bench and present the facts of the case before the court.

11.25 AM- The arduous and confusing questions of the defence counsel have made the tough officer a little nervous. His demeanor is betraying the confidence laced words spoken by him. We hope that he keeps up with his robust image. Following this, the defence counsel starts interrogating the home minister and some of the questions raised by the defence counsel were personal, and that made the prosecution raise objections which were overruled.

11.34 AM- The defence continues to cross-examine the witness and that doesn’t go well with the prosecution as the prosecution raises objections to almost every question raised by the defence counsel 

11.49 AM- Exasperated by the questions , the judge asks the prosecution to justify the objections ,which the prosecution failed to do and the objection again was overruled. In comes the third witness; she  looks equanimous as she answered every question raised by the prosecution in a very confident manner.

11: 58  AM- The tough and confusing questions raised by the defence have shaken the confidence of the strong lady. Nervousness can be seen all around. The smart questions raised by the defence counsel have made the calm prosecution a little nervous

12: 15 PM- The casualty medical officer and the questions raised by the defence have made the man revise some old books of medical science . We marvel at how the witness is dodging the questions raised by the defence. The tough questions of the judges have made the defense counsel break out in a cold sweat.

12.25 PM- And the enthusiastic yet tired stenographer , with a smile on his face and heavy loads in his hands continues to type. 

12.47 PM-The defence counsel appears thorough with his points. He is making sharp comments one after another. But , hold on! Before he could say Jack Robinson , the judge interrupted him with a very basic question.  This made our reluctant defence counsel a little more nervous. 

12.56 PM- The prosecution looks dazed and confused and the defence looks as hard as a rock at the moment! The prosecution side cannot keep his pen still. One of them is relentlessly taking note of the defence's line of argumnets.

 1.03 PM- The questions are being bombarded by the defence counsel and the witness is playing it smart. The prosecution seems to have briefed him well. The witness will surely be remembered as a saviour by the prosecution. 

1.10 PM- A soldier on and off the field! , the witness is making the entire courtroom dance to his tune and making it an enthusiastic courtroom. It's the witness who is guiding the trial at the moment. 

1.19 PM-The emotional witness, trying to hold back her tears is finding it tough to answer the questions raised by the prosecutor. She appears shaken with grief yet earnest to ensure that justice is delivered.

1.28 PM- The counsels look tired and weary but the long drawn trial seems to have had no impact over the judges, who still look as energetic as ever, they are at it with a hammer and tongs while questioning the counsels.

1.44 PM- The defence as well as the prosecution is trying blood , sweat and tears in order to convince the judges. The judges effortlessly appear neutral. The demeanor of the counsels is clearly reflective of the mental exhaustion.

2.11 PM-The prosecution is presenting the closing statement before the judges with confidence and enthusiasm, and that has made the defence a bundle of nerves.

 

Court Room 5- NTAC-10 v. NTAC- 06

 

Bench: Mr.Gaurang Jajodia and Mr.Abhijeet Kumar 

9:45 AM- The teams have entered the Court Room,carrying their heavy files and a look of determination on their face. The Judges will arrive shortly.

9:58 AM- The Team begins with the briefing of the witnesses with a reflection of sincerity and responsibility on their faces. The witnesses seem to be cooperating well with the advocates and  patiently listening to the facts and circumstances described by them.

10:31 AM-5 more minutes for briefing.This looks interesting as the teams are now pacing around the courtroom and making the witnesses revise the key points. As the briefing is going to end, the chit chat becomes a bit faster and louder and a sense of nervousness can be seen on everybody's faces.

11:05 AM- All Rise! The Honorable Judges have arrived and occupied their places.This could be the start of something really promising as both the teams look really sharp and focused.The Courtroom is silent and participants are eagerly waiting for the competition to start.

11:10 AM- The Chief examination from the prosecution’s side has begun.The Defence tried to step in the examination but the Judges stopped them.  Overcoming the anxiety and nervousness, the speaker is very well stating his opening statement and describing important facts to the Judges.

                                                                                              Prosecution Speaker 1 delivers the opening statement.

11:18 AM- PW 4 is called upon, he looks confident while answering the prosecution’s questions and he admits his relations with Ramadhir Singh. It appears as if the counsel on behalf of the prosecution is well aware of the points to be established while examining the witnesses.

11:25 AM- PW 5 looks a little confused. It appears as if he is not clear with the facts and is  taking a long time to explain his points when the prosecution asked him for a detailed account of the scene.

11:40 AM-The defence very beautifully uses the minute details. The Inspector looks a bit scared by the questions posed by the defence  and it appears so, that he could not effectively satisfy the bench.

11:55 AM- The Speaker 2 from the Defence calls upon DW 1.The Counsel for the defence tactfully seeks narration of facts from DW 1. The witness  is very well prepared with his points and is satisfying the Defence in a calm and composed manner.The Defence is trying to tilt the balance in defence favour.

12:20 PM- The Prosecution takes hold of the dais again and tries to grill DW 1 and tries to confuse the DW1 by using baffled words.He is bombarded with questions about his involvement in the case and the role he has played in the alleged act. DW 1 is very well prepared with his arguments and it looks like DW 1 is taking over the prosecution by his strong arguments and facts.

12:35 PM- The Prosecution calls upon DW 3 the leader of SKS organisation and the prosecution is doing a good job by muddling DW3 by presenting dual facts in front of him.He is subjected to more questions but he faces them gracefully.He was grilled to an extent where he started contradicting his own statements.

12:40 PM- Now the time has come for the closing statement.The Prosecution went first and forwarded a lucid summary of the proceedings..The Judges are observing the speaker serenading in a perfect rapture.The  prosecution looks a bit wobbly now. Then counsel submits his closing statement and proceeds to join the counsels for the prosecution.

12:50-The Counsel for defence while delivering the closing statements has utmost faith in his assertions.The lordships interrupted in between and ask the counsel to unveil points The counsel is now splattered by the imperative questions of the honorable bench.The counsel tries the best to answer all the queries.The counsel seems a bit nervous but it is nowhere affecting his confidence. 

1:10 PM- After much discussion and debate, the counsel proceeds with the closing statement. The judges compliment the efforts of the participants and appreciate the understanding of the witnesses. With this we come to the end of the Rounds. It’s time everyone grabs lunch and brace up for the other round.

 

PRELIMINARY ROUND 2

After a long drawn trial, the teams proceeded for lunch.

Coming back to the courtrooms with a renewed zeal, we now prepare for the second rounds of the prelims.

Court Room 1- NTAC-06  v. NTAC-07

 

Bench: Mr. Vipul Poddar and Mr. Vibhor Mayank

3.48 PM- The witnesses are being briefed by the counsels and the faces of the witnesses show a lot of emotions , mostly anxiety !

3.58 PM- All the witnesses look well versed and nicely composed and the counsels are reiterating the facts to the witnesses so there would be no room for error

4.25 PM- Rush of emotions in the courtroom as the judges arrive and the faces have changed their colours. Some have turned blue while some have turned yellow

4.40 PM-The counsels are addressing the bench and briefing the judges with their own set of facts and the judges remain neutral to both of them with the facial expression of John Jay and remain as unbiased as any fantastic judge

4.53 PM- The witness entered the room with an aura of great confidence . Alas! She couldn’t keep it up with the tricky questions asked by the prosecution counsel and that was conspicuous in the splutter and all the lights in the room were not enough to evanesce the dingy voice of the witness.

5.05 PM-With a revision of her past , it looks like history is not the subject that soothes the witness and being vulnerable with a bad memory , the counsel finally has found a weak point and is targeting it like a lion on a hunt and suddenly the courtroom environment has become exuberant 

5.17 PM- In comes another witness and the questions raised by the defence counsel lit up the  mundane environment of the courtroom and suddenly ,the tired and numb stenographer is keeping his nose to the grindstone to live up with the quick paced cross-examination and the smart witness is not disappointing the courtroom either which is the icing on the cake,

5.36 PM- With an elevated environment, and an excited courtroom,, it must be hard being a judge and show no emotions but there’s a reason why we call them judges . 

5.50 PM- And the pace of the courtroom has risen once again and it looks like the stenographer is having a very tough time capturing all the events and he is certainly pulling out all the stops and . Tough luck , Mr. Stenographer.

6.04 PM- The tired counsels are trying their best to live up with the tough courtroom but the judges are full with energy and so is the courtroom. The tough day was weary and tiring for all the members but they maintained the enthusiasm and the presence of it could still be felt in the air.

6.33 PM- With tired faces and enthusiastic minds, the courtroom resumes after a short break and the counsel is having a hard time in addressing the questions raised by the judged . By using all his acumen , the counsel is now trying to dodge all the questions but the judges are smart enough to not fall in the trap.

 

Court Room 2- NTAC-01  v. NTAC-10

 

Bench: Mr. Akchansh Kishore and Ms. Apoorva Singh

3: 35 PM- The participants are back with their energy rejuvenated, all set for another round. The witness briefing sees a plethora of faces, who are trying their hardest to remain focused and committed. The Prosecution and the Defence, without any fail, attempt to clarify the witness’ doubts.

3: 48 PM- A blend of thrill and nerves resounds the courtroom as the participants add the final touches. The witnesses seem ready to take on their roles and adapt the personas.

4: 26 PM- With a renewed intensity, the Judges have arrived. They divert their focus to the trial at hand as the Prosecution commences with its opening statement. With a dramatic flair, the Prosecution stands effective in drawing the court’s attention to the issue concerned.

4: 34 PM- The Defence took its stand at resisting the charges laid against the Defendants. Its statement added an emotional touch to the proceedings of this trial.As the prosecution resumes its position at the dias, the chief examination of the Prosecution witnesses begins. Mr. Akchansh Kishore, J., displayed an active involvement from the inception, as he listened intently to the arguments advanced,  challenging them in return.

4: 42 PM- This paved the way for the Defence to cross examine the first witness.The participants are gripped with enthusiasm and apprehension as the chief examination and the cross examination are being conducted simultaneously. With a patient mind, the Judges took turns at presenting their objections during the cross examination. The Defence took its sincere shots at retaliating to those questions. Each passing second notes increasing engrossment of the judges.

5: 01 PM- Mr. Akchansh Kishore, J., makes a remarkable observation regarding the importance of evidence. His remarks are attentively heeded by the participants as they try to implement  the advice offered by him.

5: 05 PM- Following the cross examination of the first witness, the Prosecution took its place at the dias to further examine the succeeding witnesses. Arguments advanced, both by the Prosecution and the Defence,  are noted and thoroughly scrutinised by the judges.  The Judges carefully dissect the contentions made by the participants. The witnesses seem anxious in trying to maintain their identity and sticking by their stories in this intense  chain of events apparent in the trial.

5: 35 PM-  The Prosecution and the Defence do a fair job in conducting the chief examination and the cross examination. From the looks of it, the Judges are thoroughly immersed in the proceeding before them. With crucial remarks made by the judges, this trial sees an involvement of everyone. With a final note, the chief examination and the cross examination of the Prosecution witnesses are completed. This marks the beginning of the chief examination and the cross examination of the Defence Witnesses, The Defence look all set to analyse the narratives of its witnesses.

5: 57 PM- Albeit the Defence tried its hand at moulding the case in its favour through chief examination of the Accused, its effectiveness can only be certain after the cross examination is done. The Accused finds himself cornered by the arguments charged at him and he attempts to fight off those charges.

6: 11 PM- A wave of amusement has enveloped the courtroom, as the Judges appear to be enjoying themselves. Both the Prosecution and the Defence find themselves more drawn with each passing second, as they compete head to head to establish their cases.

6: 21 PM- As the chief examination and the cross examination of the Defence witnesses proceed, the Judges aim their questions at both the Prosecution and the Defence. Nothing seems to go unnoticed by them.

6: 32 PM- Nothing seems to give away the fact that the participants as so deep into the trial. They continue to radiate an electrifying energy, that seems to be omnipresent in this competition. Involvement of both the counsels and the judges accentuates the shared fascination. 

6: 52 PM- As the examination of the witnesses, comes closer to completion, the prosecution and the defence seem eager to add final touches to their arguments. With the narrative of the last witness, the examination draws to an end. Now its time for the closing statements.

7: 11 PM- The last stage of the trial is upon us, as the participants are all geared up for the closing statements. The Prosecution takes the dias and, for the final time, attempts to turn the case in their favour. This is followed by the closing statements delivered by the Defence, where it, with an air of certainty, conclude its arguments. 

 

Court Room 3- NTAC-02  v. NTAC-09

 

Bench: Ms.Khalida Haya Rashmi and Ms.Kirti Saboo

3:40 PM-The teams have arrived in the courtrooms. The prosecution and the defence have  started briefing their witnesses for the grilling that awaits! Though a bundle of nerves, both the teams are quite confidently masking it, constantly going through their case files and gearing themselves up. The drama is ready to unfold.

4:25 PM -All rise! The judges arrive in the courtroom. The court is now in session.The judges have announced the matchup to commence. Speaker 1 for the Prosecution is on the podium.

4:30 PM-The prosecution has approached the dais, though fluent, the prosecution is elaborative while delivering his opening speech.-The defence confidently presents her opening statement just after which the prosecution of witness arrives.

4:41 PM- The father of the  deceased, almost in tears, is standing in the witness stands.The loss of the apple of his eye has not deterred him from confidently delivering what he witnessed on that black day.

4:55 PM-The counsel for the defence approach the dais to cross examine the witness. Though solemn, both in demeanor and speech, her cross examination is hitting the witness right where it hurts! The defence has left the witness flabbergasted more than once now. 

5:10 PM-As the defence was cross examining the witness, the prosecution stood up with exasperation saying that the question was irrelevant which the judge overruled.The witness’s arguments have ambiguity and the judges do not seem to be pleased. The judges are grilling the teams with a series of questions, meticulously checking each citation in the memo, perhaps trying to test their perseverance.

5:38 PM-The judges were vexed with the etiquette of the teams. They reprimanded them and warned them to have at least the basic manners.The DW comes with a twist which makes the courtroom vibrate with murmurs.

6:03 PM-The prosecution with his wit and zeal is ready for the cross examination of the DW,but the witness seems to be smart and ready with an answer without faltering.

6:17 PM-Though the ambience of the courtroom is humdrum, the deportment of the defense is unwavering.The judges are constantly nodding at each other while the defense is directly examining the witness.The judges and defence are questioning the witness.

6:17 PM- Though the ambience of the courtroom is humdrum, the deportment of the defense is unwavering.The judges are constantly nodding at each other while the defense is directly examining the witness.The judges and defence are questioning the witness.

6:30 PM- The questions of law, which were being bombarded at the teams by the judges, further also disrupting the speakers  flow, but the judges were relatively satisfied with the arguments.

6:45 PM- The prosecution and defence are now preparing for the closing statement. The judges are studying the memorial of both the teams while their hands are continuously penning the scores.

6:58 PM- The prosecution is submitting her closing statements in full swing. The judges are observing the speaker serenading in a perfect rapture. Just when the closing statement is about to terminate, the judges interrupt the speaker on behalf of the prosecution and enquire about certain intricacies.

7:05 PM- With the judges being extremely active despite a tiresome day , the counsels are having a very tough time answering them. And as the air inside the courtroom is full with enthusiasm .

7:20 PM- The counsels are presenting their closing statements and the judges are still in the interrogation process and both the parties are presenting a very good statements. Beautiful and arduous day it was !

 

Court Room 4- NTAC-05  v. NTAC-08

 

Bench: Mr. Anubhav Kumar Jha and Mr. Sourabh Raj

3:45 PM- Both the defence and the prosecution are preparing their witnesses advising them on the course that they should follow during the proceedings.The participants are eagerly waiting for their rounds to begin. We would shortly begin with the preliminary rounds.

4:30 PM- The Honourable Judges have reached the courtrooms.The judges have taken their respective seats and we have begun with the judges briefing.

 AND THE COURT IS NOW IN SESSION!!

4:20 PM- The Counsel for the prosecution has sought permission to approach the dias and looks pretty confident.The Counsel has presented his opening argument and has returned to his place. The Counsel for the Defence has presented the judges with a Vakalatnama before presenting his opening statement.The Counsel has started off with a strong composure and is addressing the judge with courtesy. 

4:30 PM- The prosecution has called upon their first witness to the stand to use his knowledge on the incidents of the case to further their claim. The chief examination of the witness has begun. His testimony seems to be quite useful for the case. The witness managed to answer the questions of the judges cleverly. 

4:35 PM- The Counsel for the defense proficiently conducted the cross examination of PW 1 and dissected his testimony, to his advantage. The judges advice the defense to take notes of the same.

4:40 PM- The prosecution has called upon their next witness; while the witness was giving his testimony, the defense raised a few questions which led the court to descend into chaos until the judges intervened. PW 2 is speaking with confidence and is able to navigate smoothly through all the questions raised to him.

4:50 PM- The prosecution called in their next witness to the stand. The judges were all ears to the witness’s testimony.

4:45 PM- The Counsel for defense swiftly proceeded to the stand to cross examine the witness.The prosecution witnesses were grilled on the stand and seemed to crumble under the pressure. The witness was not aware of factual circumstances and was unaware of things that were expected from him.

5:00 PM- The prosecution called their next witness to stand and while  The examination in chief of Prosecution Witness 1 is over, and the defense is not taking it easy on him during the cross and he seems to be in a tight spot right now.

5:05 PM- The defence is dexterously putting forth his questions and carefully trying to break the witness. PW 4 seems a little confused during the cross examination.The defence is confident and precise. They are well versed with all the details of the case A battle of words ensues as the prosecution objects to leading questions but the objections are overruled by the Judge.

5:10 PM- The next witness is called to stand by the prosecution as he takes the solemn oath and the witness is cleverly stating the facts in furtherance of the prosecution’s claim.The defence proceeds to the stand for the cross and the judges seem to be a little confused by the line of questioning put forth by the defense  but the defense skilfully manages to clarify the doubts of the judges. 

5:20 PM- The prosecution objects midway in the cross examination of the witness asking  to provide the witness another date to submit his report. The defense and the prosecution are engaged in a witty repartee. The prosecution calls another witness to the stand and the judges are patiently listening to the statements made by the witness. The prosecution is carefully conducting the chief examination of the witness.The bench asks the prosecution to state the relevant section of the Evidence Act, the counsel fumbles and seeks permission to refer the bare act.

5:35 PM- The defense call in their first witness, also the part to the case, Tejas. The defense begins the chief examination of the witness. During the chief, the prosecution objects the question of the prosecution on the grounds that it was leading the witness. 

5:40 PM-The judges warn the defense not to make personal remarks on the prosecution and advise them to make their witness more comfortable during the cross since he looked a little intimidated and uncomfortable.

5:45 PM- The prosecution  has started cross examining the witness and the witness is carefully trying to dodge the questions. The prosecution dexterously puts forth a line of questioning in front of the witness. In the midst of this, things get heated up between the two sides.(Can someone turn down the heat?) The Defense calls in their next witness. The witness is asked to clarify the facts of the case. The Defense wittily questions the witness. The witness is  confidently presenting his statements

6:00 PM- The prosecution approaches the dias to cross examine the witness.  Although, the prosecution tried to play with the head of the witness, the witness seems to be unflinched by the prosecution’s cross questions and stood by his assertions and statements. The Counsel for prosecution consoled the witness for his daughter’s death. [ Hey, we said it right ;) ]Despite this, the prosecution made a remarkable comeback.

6:10 PM- The defense called in their next witness to the stand. The defense seems strong- headed and determined during the chief examination.

6:20 PM- Prosecution maintained a strong composure and started cross examining the witness with a very intelligent line of questioning. (Nobody is going to be kept in dark,literally or otherwise!) Defense has called in their last next witness to the stand and made a very compelling statement in front of the bench as to how the prosecution has failed to make strong point till now. The  defense proceeds with the routine chief examination. 

6:30 PM- The prosecution with a cool- head came to the stand and started bombarding question on the witness. The Counsel questions the credibility of the information provided by the witness. The prosecution’ s swaying the case on their side. This seems like a contest which will go down the wire.

7:15 PM- The counsel for prosecution approaches the dias to deliver her closing arguments and  while doing so he claims that the defense could not not prove a reasonable doubt.The counsel submits her closing statement and proceeds to join the counsels for the prosecution. (But, hey, wait! It’s not over yet!) The bench pops up a question to “test the knowledge” of the counsel. Counsel’s confidence went down a notch as she couldn’t answer the bench’s question.

7:25 PM- The defense approaches the dias to deliver his closing arguments and dismisses the contentions made by the prosecution. Seeking acquittal of his client, the defence rests his case.

 

Court Room 5- NTAC-04  v. NTAC-03

 

Bench: Mr.Gaurang Jajodia & Mr.Abhijeet Kumar

3:35 PM-The participants have arrived and arebriefing the witnesses about the trial.The participants are making ardent efforts to resolve every inkling of doubt that the witnesses might have. It seems that the team which holds its nerves till the end will win this thing.

3:45 PM- We can smell the fervor in the courtroom. Both the teams are employing their finest tricks explicating the witnesses’ about the forthcoming proceedings and their related roles. The Judges will arrive shortly.

4:15 PM-This looks interesting as the teams are now pacing around the courtroom and making the witnesses revise the key points. As the briefing is going to end, the chit chat becomes a bit faster and louder and a sense of nervousness can be seen on everybody's faces

4:30 PM- Hon’ble Judges are escorted to the Court room. The excitement and anticipation inside the Court Room is palpable. Both the teams look prepared and eager to begin with the proceedings.The witnesses are asked to leave the courtroom after being briefed. All set to go!

4:40 PM- The prosecution seeks permission to begin proceedings. He gives the opening statement explaining charges and essential facts of the case. The prosecution took a little longer to put the facts in front of the bench.

4:50 PM- The Defence seeks permission to begin proceedings.They gave a brief of the case to the bench.And we can see a bit confusion between the names of Defence lawyer and the accused.

4:55 PM-The Chief examination from the prosecution’s side has begun.The defence objected when  the prosecution asked PW 1 a leading question,the judges agreed that it was a leading question and accepted the objection.

The judges are conferring one another on some law point.

5;00 PM-  PW 4 will not be investigated due to some unknown reasons. Prosecution now calls upon PW 3 an NIA officer, investigating officer of the case.The officer looks nervous.The officer looks tired as well.We can see a hint of tension between the prosecution and the Bench.

5:10 PM- The Chief Surgeon is called upon who did the postmortem of the deceased.It looks like Mr Surgeon has forgotten the details of the postmortem report.Therefore Prosecution handed him a copy of postmortem report. 

5:20 PM- The Defence calmly proceeds with the questions.The cross examiner is making PW 5 uncomfortable by asking twisted questions.The counsel leaves no discrepancies.The witness is clearly feeling the heat. DW 7 is bombarded with a plethora of questions, he is stuttering and cannot keep pace with the  questions. 

5:40 PM- The defence very beautifully uses the minute details.The friend of the deceased has been badly grilled by the defence. DW 1 has been called upon. She has indeed put through his side of the story unmistakably. But her memory and judgement seems clouded at every question posed by the Defence.

6:00 PM -DW 3 embraces the court amidst the pertinent silence in the court and answers some fundamental and tricky questions.

6:15 PM- DW 4 looks confident with her remarks and expressions.The witness DW 5 seems to be turning hostile.It appears that the speaker for the Prosecution wants no deficiency on her part. She is constantly rummaging through the statements submitted by the witness in search of loopholes which could tilt the case in her favour! She is urging the witness to answer in a ‘YES’ or ‘NO’,the defence objected .But the witness looks very confident and is answering the questions brilliantly.The witness was sure a tough nut to crack.

7:00 PM-Both the parties have now been provided their copies of the court transcript. Preparation for the final push that we’ll witness, in their closing statements, is underway. Advocates are reading the transcript carefully and trying to figure out the nuances that will help them decide.

7:15PM- The Counsel’s intonations are intense as if she was making the ultimate dive in the quest of justice.She is quoting certain cases ,judges asked to conclude her arguments in 1 minutes. She is of spirited kidney but the judge impede the same. The counsel proceeds and addresses the answers with zest addressing each judge one at a time.

7:30 PM-The counsel for the defence after a break for the preparation of closing statement has arrived to the dais all bright and breezy. He has noted the points submitted by the opponent team and has prepared weighty counter-arguments. The counsel is now splattered by the imperative questions of the honorable bench. The counsel tries his best to answer all the queries. The counsel rests.  Now they wait in the agony of suspense for the much awaited results.

TEAMS TO QUALIFY FOR THE SEMIFINALS

** University Law College, Utkal University

** KIIT school of Law, Bhubaneshwar

** Symbiosis School of Law, Hyderabad

** Symbiosis School of Law, Pune

 

DAY 3: SEMIFINALS  

As the sun takes over the clouds, the weather of Ranchi is reflecting a welcoming warmth for the participants. The best teams of the lot have been sieved through, by the preliminary rounds that were conducted yesterday. The teams have burnt their midnight oil and are confident in their resolve. The zeal, exhilaration and a pinch of nervousness is quite evident in their aura.

The judges are being briefed about the nuances of the proposition,

The bench consists of esteemed personalities from the legal fraternity. We have with us Mr. Trideep Pais, a graduate of the 3rd batch from National Law School of India University, Bangalore and an advocate in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court of India. With his wit and charm, he can fight any case where he finds a worthy cause.

Gracing us with their presence is the father-son duo who have distinguished themselves in the art of lawyering, Mr. P N Rai Pankaj and Mr. P N Rai, esteemed lawyers at the Jharkhand High Court.

We also have Mr. Saurav Gautam, a graduate from NLIU, Bhopal and at present, an administrative officer at the Judicial Academy, Jharkhand. Accompanying them on the bench is  Mr Shresth Gautam, a skilled arbitrator and a practicing advocate at the Jharkhand High Court, known for his dynamic personality and is an inspiration for the young lawyers . And Mr. Dharmendra Kumar, a judicial magistrate from the Jharkhand Judicial Academy.

 

Court Room 1-  NTAC-10  v. NTAC-02

Bench: Mr. Trideep Pais, Mr. P N Rai and Mr. Shresth Gautam

 

10:02 AM- Another day paved the way for another round. Stepping closer to the final, participants from both sides have gathered here for the deciding level- the semi finals. The atmosphere looks tense, as the participants are found briefing their witnesses. 

10: 26 AM- The briefing sees the witnesses struggling to retain the information fed to them. The participants, who are downed in black, radiate a sense of confidence, along with nervousness.

10:57 AM- With the final touches, the briefing is completed. As the witnesses proceed to the waiting area, the participants take their place at the starting line. Get set, go!

11: 10 AM- The judges taking their seats marked the beginning of this trial. As the Prosecution approached the dias to deliver the opening statement, the competition is off to a start. Following this, was the opening statement given by the Defence. Both sides seek to highlight the matter at hand.

 

The judges carefully assessing the arguments

 

11: 20 AM- The judges seem to adopt an active role, as they intently take notice of the arguments advanced by the participants.With the opening statements being wrapped up, time for the examination of the witnesses has arrived. While the prosecution are examining the first witness, the jury is leaving no stone unturned in their inquiry about the provisions.

11: 30 AM- The Defence approaches the dias to cross examine the first witness of the prosecution. Its charging questions seem to make the witness second guess his own story. In turn, the judges challenging the arguments of the defence is forcing it into a tough spot as well.

11: 44 AM- The environment of the court has suddenly become intense. The prosecution argued confidently but were a tad unprepared which resulted in unsatisfied judges.However,the witness is answering the questions imposed upon him with utmost faith in his assertions.

11: 54 AM- The air between the prosecution and the defendants heats up ,owing to yet another objection raised by the defence.The witness lacked confidence while answering, but was diligent in his speech.

12: 05 AM- A battle of arguments between the prosecution and the defence has commenced, making everyone hold their breath. The judges, refusing to lag behind, have taken up the task of effectively countering the contentions of both sides.

12: 21 PM-  The Defence, now equipped with sharper arguments, takes the dias to bring about the accused’s side in the trial through his tactful chief examination. With each following second, the atmosphere is growing tense as the participants can be seen struggling with arguments and counter arguments.

12: 34 PM- Proving beyond reasonable doubts appears to be a fight for the Prosecution. The Accused’s narrative has intrigued the judges as they sharply take notes of it to dissect his statements.

12: 45 PM- A bit of chit chat, nerves, constant questioning and answering, this is what constitutes the courtroom right now. With an air of thrill, the trial proceeds. Apprehension grips everyone, as the judges prob more and more into the matter.

1: 00 PM- The question and answer series can be found taking a toll on both the participants and the witnesses. The judges, as attentive as ever, refused to allow to let any information escape. The Judges clear some of the queries which they had and also posed some questions to check the much required knowledge of law of the speaker  of the prosecution.

Silence! The court is in session.

1: 15 PM- A piece of appreciation for the witnesses is worth mentioning, for how true they were in carrying out their roles. Although they are thoroughly interrogating them, the judges seem to buy the stories of the witnesses.

1: 37 PM- Arriving at the last stage of the trial, now, it’s time for the closing statements. The Prosecution resumed its place at the dias, trying to incline the case in its favour, for one final time. The semi- finals holds a lot of importance and it clearly reflects from the voice of the prosecutor.  He seems a bit nervous but it is nowhere affecting his confidence.

1: 50 PM- As this round draws to a close, the defence took its stance to make the submission and pray before the bench. A final plea for justice to be delivered echoes the walls of the courtroom. Whilst the counsel is splattered by the imperative questions of the honorable bench, it tries to conclude its case with a firm assertion. This indicates the end of the semi-finals, leading to the most awaited part- the final. 

A very healthy competition has been presented. Kudos to the teams!!

 

Court Room 2-  NTAC-06  v. NTAC-03

 

Bench: Mr. Saurav Gautam, Mr. P N Rai Pankaj, Mr. Dharmendra Kumar

10: 00 AM-With a pleasant weather outside and a tensed and hot weather inside, day two looks exactly what a competition should look like. The counsels are briefing the witnesses and the witness despite the reiteration of the facts look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

10: 30 AM- All the witnesses and the counsels are doing nothing by halves. Assiduity is conspicuous in the happy and the nervous faces but the show must go on! As the final round of the briefing process knocks on the door, the participants are holding their nerves but cometh the hour, cometh the man!

11:00 AM- As the judges entered the room , the entire room went from hot and tense room to a neutral room. Maybe, it was the aura that they carry with themselves .The deadpan faces of the Judges have surely made the faces of the counsels a little blue . Must be an exciting competition today!

11:12 AM- As the defence and the prosecution present their sets of facts before the judges , they look anything but convinced by either side, giving a forewarning that the counsels have to go the extra mile to convince them.

11: 20 AM- From confidence to timidness, here goes yet another witness as she numbed out to the bewildering questions raised by the defence counsel and adding a cherry on the top , the questions raised by the judges were not easy either. Still grasping at straw , the witness is trying to fit in the environment of a classic courtroom.

 

The Defence witness facing the burns of the prosecution's questions.

11: 32 AM- In dire straits, yet another witness is falling prey to the smart defence counsel and the prosecution side is having a bated breath as all of their witnesses are falling short to the acumen of the defence . Another one bites the dust!

11: 48 AM-  In comes Mr. Prakash Gaitonde, the superintendent of police and he carries a robust and serious aura and finally dodging the bullets fired by the defence, the senior IPS officer has finally brought back the smiles on the faces of the prosecution. Bureaucracy at its best!

11: 56 AM- Running on the edge , the defence is trying to maintain the decorum of the courtroom but is being carried away by the rough emotions and the judges are advising the counsel to hold the horses, but a human she is after all!

12: 10 AM- Abhorred by the drama , the judges are asking the counsel to keep the calm and move forward with the proceeding and the defence counsel finally excused the witness , Mr. Gaitonde. But there he goes out of the room with a cheeky grin. Dodging bullets is what all good police officers are trained to do.

12: 25 AM- The stenographer is now really having a tough time keeping up with the steady pace of the courtroom, and it can clearly be seen in his expressions. Sinking his teeth into the typing work, the man sitting there needs an empathetic keyboard.

12: 40 AM-  Mr. Tejas, with the eyes of a common man but that is hardly what the case says, is trying to dodge the claims made by the prosecution and make the proceeding an eye catching and a hard to blink courtroom proceeding. Well played , Mr. Tejas!

12: 52 AM- With the judges being cognizant of the situation, they added some much needed humour by cracking a joke and suddenly there were daisies all around the room and both sides of the counsels are now at a little ease, but that doesn’t lighten the earnestness of the proceeding. 

1: 08 PM- With a tough fight , the prosecution and the defence are having a tough time in the courtroom.The defence counsel is going with his nose out but that doesn’t mean he is surrending to the acquiesce

1: 20 PM- All in but one’s shoelaces, all those who are present in the courtroom look tired but the enthusiasm has kept its presence all over. Both sides have presented their arguments and the closing but the judges are as plain as a sheet of blank paper . Nail biting can be heard in the serene environment of the courtroom and calmness in the participants is conspicuous by its absence. FINGERS CROSSED!

 1.34 PM- With this the session comes to an end. We will bring the results to your knowledge soon!

 We will come back soon eith the updates about the final trial!

THE FINAL TRIAL

The wait is over. Finishing with the semifinals, we have the results. The teams moving ahead to the final trial are:

• University Law College, Utkal University 
• Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad.

Something that is sure to catch the readers’ attention is that Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad, continuing with its streak is back in the finals for the second time.

A fair trial is one in which the rules of evidence are honoured, the accused has a competent counsel, and the bench ensures that proper courtroom procedures are followed. Today we bring before you a trial where every assumption can be challenged. We are here at the National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi to bring before you the live courtroom drama and proceedings. Let the show begin!

To ensure an efficient adjudication, we have with us Mr. Indrajit SInha, Senior Advocate, Jharkhand High Court. known to be an all rounder among his peers., Mr Diwarkar Pandey, Additional Judicial Magistrate, Ranchi and Mr. Biresh Kumar, Director Jharkhand Judicial Officer and a senior visiting faculty member at National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi

 

University Law College, Utkal University v. Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad.

Bench: Mr Indrajit Sinha, Mr. Diwarkar Pandey, Mr. Biresh Kumar 

3: 30 PM-  The Courtroom is set. The witnesses are being intensively briefed. The participants have a big win at stake, there must not be an iota of ambiguity left while preparing the witnesses for the trial. All the participants of the competition are seated in the courtroom, to absorb the arguments of their peers so that they can ameliorate their arguments and hone their future trials skills.   

04. 30 PM- The moment for which everyone was waiting has arrived. It’s now time for the final trial  to commence. All Rise! The prosecution has approached the dais carrying with them an attitude laced with confidence . And with great enthusiasm , the final round begins!

 

All set! We are ready to begin with the trial

 04:36 PM- Both sides , the prosecution and the defence , are briefing the judges with their own comprehension of the facts of the matter. A tense atmosphere has engulfed the courtroom as the participants take their designated places. Both dedication and apprehension resounds the room.

04: 47 PM- The manner in which the Prosecution is cross examining the witness, has resulted in the witnesses doubting their own statements. The significance of spontaneity is reflected in the mannerism of the defence counsel. The stout Home Minister, with years of experience in the ministry was diplomatic in answering the questions. Experience. A Politician on and off the field, indeed!

 

4: 55 PM- A banter between the prosecution witness 1, Home Minister Hukum Singh, and the Defence Counsel  appears to have taken place, capturing the attention of everyone present. This is followed by a  dramatic tale, told by a witness. A piece of advice offered to the witness by the counsels -Control your emotions! Ms. Sehgal’s comic beauty will always be remembered. Sympathies, Ms  Sehgal . But very well played in wasting the prosecution’s time. 

The 'wo-man' of the hour: Ms Sehgal, P W 2

5:05 PM- Ms. Sehgal seems to take her own time to narrate her emotional saga or maybe playing it smartly to buy some time to answer. Here the saga ends, restoring the silence in the courtroom. The rush of emotions that had exited the courtroom seems settled now and another witness takes Ms. Sehgal’s place.

5.15 PM- Masking his emotions, the witness appears to be playing with the defence. Annoyed , yet keeping a calm disposition, the defence  counsel is finding it hard to keep track of the testimony. The judges have joined in with the counsels and is now probing into the witness’ statements. No stone will be left unturned, as every piece of information will be dissected.

5: 26 PM- Oozing with some extra confidence, the witness is giving a tough time to the counsel. A smart game plan to confuse everyone which almost worked on everyone but the judges. Least said, not this time! The bench questions the relevance of the cross examination of the ballistic expert pertaining to his credibility.

5: 37 PM-  A back and forth between chief examination and cross examination takes place in the courtroom.A Caution from the bench requiring the defence counsel to refrain from being repetitive while posing questions to the witness. The bench makes an attempt to bring clarity to the examination by being succinct in their approach. The sweating witness makes the intensity of the question pretty evident. 

6:10  PM- The tussle between PW 5 Prakash Gaitonde and the defence counsel is clearly evident. The witness keeps reiterating his right to speak while he is in the witness stand. The defence counsel appears exasperated and forwards an objection citing non responsive answers being given by the witness. The bench though initially reluctant to accept the objection, asks the witness to answer with an affirmation or a negation.

6: 19 PM- As the trial unveils, the last hour of this competition is upon us, bringing with it more desperate attempts made by the counsels to turn in case in their favour. The witnesses inadvertently confused the bench by placing contradictory statements.

DW 1 steps in the shoes of the defence counsel to argue his case.

6: 26 PM- The bench has taken it upon themselves to get a clear picture of the situation.They are acutely perusing through every resource at their disposal. Lo and behold, the Accused is here!. Eyes of an innocent man for one side but very different for the other. The bench allows the cross examination of the Tejas, DW 1 and Accused no. 1 in the trial.

6.36 PM- Are those the nervous eyes of an accused or the innocent eyes of a man who has fallen into a trap? The courtroom is full with people having different ideas. But the judges don't show any emotion. Emotions all over .Genuinity or pretence?

The prosecution counsel is endeavouring tirelessly to extract a motive out of the Accused’s statements, but the words of DW 1 ensure that the efforts put by the defence counsel in briefing him don’t go in vain

6: 50 PM- Tricky on the part of the counsel and tricky on the part of the judge, the bombarding of the questions is keeping the mood of courtroom alive. Tejas, the accused firmly held his ground throughout his questioning. He might have been a little imposing on the prosecution counsel but the bench seems to have ignored the same considering it to be a need of the hour.

7:05 PM- A plethora of emotions and provisions has set the tone of the finals. This being said, the bench looks anything but convinced with the counsels. Or wait! There’s a new challenge for the teams. The bench has invoked their inherent power under section 216 CrPC and has altered the charges. They have asked the prosecution to build a case on the same and the defence to counter the allegations. 

07. 15 PM- Both sides are giving a closure of their arguments, attempting to deliver a home run. In one last run before the finishing line, the participants seem to be pulling out the big guns. Different provisions are thrown across the courtroom

07.46 PM- The bench seems to have a tough call while assessing the participants. They can be seen scratching their heads while putting scores on the sheets. Now that the transcripts have been printed and provided to the respective teams, the stenographers are relaxed after a hectic typing session.

07.57 PM- Breath slow, you may miss the results! After a cut throat competition, the most awaited moment has arrived. The rollercoaster of a competition sees an end with the announcement of the result:

The Winner of 4th NUSRL National Trial Advocacy Competition is the team from Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad - Nandini Jiva, Naman Tyagi and Shantanu Seth

The Runners up for the day is the team representing University Law College, Utkal University- Debashish Kumar Panda, Lalitendu Debata and Atish K. Mohapatra.

Lawyering involves a great deal of researching, and to appreciate the excellent researching skills of the participants, the title for the Best Researcher goes to Ipkshita Singh of School of Law, Christ University, Bangalore

The Best Speaker who mesmerized us through the competition with her wits and arguments is Nandini Jiva of Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad

The 2nd Best Speaker for this trial advocacy is gleefully shared between Divyansh Sharma of Gujarat National Law University, Gandhinagar and Debashish Kumar Panda of University Law College, Utkal University.

The 4th NUSRL National Trial Advocacy Competition comes to a close by invoking the memory of Justice S. B. Sinha, former justice of the Supreme Court of India who has wished well for the university.

A vote of thanks by Ms Priya Vijay, Convenor of the Moot Court Committee at National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi follwed the declaration of the results.

We will see you with a greater enthusiasm in the next and the successive editions,.

The Live Blogging Team

NUSRL, Ranchi signs off here.