The police station had become unusually crowded that morning.
Outside the station, an elderly man stood with a small group of people from the village.
His name was Krishna Mohan.
He was a respected man in the village, someone people usually approached whenever there was a dispute or a serious matter.
Today, he had come for Ravi.
“Sir, we need to speak with the officer handling Ravi's case,” Krishna Mohan told the constable at the entrance.
The constable looked at the group.
“You'll have to wait.”
Krishna Mohan nodded.
“We will wait.”
They sat quietly outside the investigation room.
Through the closed door, they could occasionally hear the voices of the officers questioning Ravi.
Krishna Mohan looked toward the door several times.
He was worried.
Not because he believed Ravi had done something wrong.
But because he knew how quickly rumours could spread.
After nearly an hour, the investigating officer finally opened the door.
“You can come in.”
Krishna Mohan stood up immediately.
He entered the room with two others from the village.
Ravi was sitting on a chair at the other side of the room.
The moment he saw Krishna Mohan, Ravi's expression changed.
For the first time that morning, he felt that someone had come to stand beside him.
Krishna Mohan looked at the officer.
“Sir, I know Ravi. He is a good boy. He would never intentionally hurt anyone.”
The officer remained quiet.
Krishna Mohan continued.
“He has grown up in front of us. We know his family. We know his character.”
The officer slowly closed the file in front of him.
Then he looked at the old man.
“Mr. Krishna Mohan…”
“Yes, sir?”
“You said you know Ravi very well?”
“Yes.”
“Then tell me something.”
The officer leaned back in his chair.
“Who said Ravi is a bad person?”
Krishna Mohan was caught off guard.
He looked at the officer without answering.
The officer continued.
“I didn't say he was a bad person.”
He pointed toward the file.
“We are investigating an incident.”
“We are asking questions.”
“We are looking at evidence.”
He paused.
“None of that means we have decided that Ravi is guilty.”
Krishna Mohan slowly nodded.
The officer then looked directly at him.
“But you came all the way to the police station to defend him.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Why?”
Krishna Mohan glanced at Ravi.
Then he looked back at the officer.
“Because I know him.”
The officer studied the old man's face.
“Sometimes, Mr. Krishna Mohan, knowing someone for many years can make us believe we know everything about them.”
The room became silent.
Ravi looked at Krishna Mohan.
For the first time, he noticed something strange.
The old man wasn't looking at him anymore.
He was looking at the floor.
As if he had suddenly remembered something.
The officer noticed it too.
“Mr. Krishna Mohan…”
The old man slowly raised his eyes.
“Do you know Jyothika?”
Krishna Mohan froze.
Ravi looked at him.
And the officer quietly opened the file again.