Unlawful Justice - Book Review

Vish Dhamija’s Unlawful Justice is divided into three parts. Vansh Diwan and his wife are advocates. Mahinder has a chequered background. Vansh deals all his cases and major chunk of his income is derived from Mahinder’s litigations. In part one Mahinder’s son Maheep rapes Vansh’s maid’s daughter and leaves her in a vegetative state. In part two Maheep is killed and the killer is unknown. Mahinder accuses Vansh’s help Gayatri as in an emotional outburst, she had vowed to kill Maheep. The third part is the criminal trial.

I really liked the twist in the second part. I was wondering where the novel will head when the rapist is revealed in the first few chapters. But with Maheep’s killing the author strikes a master stroke. You are riveted to your seats and read with great expectations. As a seasoned reader you know Gayatri hasn’t murdered Maheep. But then who is the culprit?

Unfortunately to know that you have undergo a few hiccups under the name of legal trial. And here the novel falters. The trial is unrealistic and mundane. For crimes like rape and murder no arrest warrant is required. Anticipatory bails are not granted by Magistrates and accused doesn’t have to prove anything in criminal trials. Unfortunately the author has got all these things wrong. For someone who claims to be master of legal crime and courtroom drama in India, these mistakes are unpardonable.

Speaking of the writing, the writer is verbose but not boring. He has spends too much ink to convey an idea which could be told in just a sentence. Yet, his writing kept me glued. This is his success as an author.

There are some books which you wont repent reading and wont repent not reading either. Unlawful Justice falls into that category. That sums up it all.