Rajiv remembered that day vividly—the fluorescent lights humming above, the cold, judging eyes of the interview panel, and the sneers barely concealed behind polite nods. They had sat there like omnipotent arbiters, deciding the fate of an orphaned boy from a low-caste background. He had aced the mains with top marks, every essay, every case study perfect—but here, in the interview room, the weight of prejudice had crushed him. Their questions weren't designed to test knowledge; they were designed to belittle, to assert dominance.
And now, years later, fate had given him the opportunity to meet one of them—not as a failed candidate, but as a lawyer armed with truth, strategy, and evidence sharp enough to cut through the arrogance of power.
The man's name was Vinay Saxena, once a distinguished civil servant on the board, known for his charm in public and ruthlessness in private. To the world, he was impeccable. But Rajiv had spent months unraveling the truth: misuse of public funds, manipulation of transfers, and under-the-table kickbacks to contractors he favored. Saxena's reputation was flawless only in the eyes of the unsuspecting; Rajiv had spent sleepless nights assembling the threads that would expose him.
The courtroom was packed the day the case opened. Media had caught wind of the proceedings, and whispers of "the orphan confronting his old judge" made their way into public discourse. Saxena, tall and impeccably dressed, looked at Rajiv with thinly veiled disbelief. He was confident that his power, contacts, and reputation would shield him. He had no idea that Rajiv had transformed from a boy he once dismissed into a predator he had underestimated.
Rajiv began methodically, presenting evidence of Saxena's misappropriations. Financial statements, emails, recorded calls, testimonies from whistleblowers—all laid bare with precision. But this was more than a legal attack; it was psychological warfare. Every sentence Rajiv delivered reminded Saxena of the arrogance he had displayed years ago, the casual contempt for a boy who dared question the system.
"You judged me once, Vinay Saxena," Rajiv said calmly, locking eyes with him. "You thought my status, my background, my existence would be invisible to your scrutiny. Today, we reverse that."
The courtroom murmured. Saxena's confident smile faltered slightly. Rajiv didn't need theatrics—his calm, deliberate tone, combined with evidence that left no room for denial, did the work. He revealed how Saxena had diverted millions under the guise of development projects, how contracts were given to favored businesses, and how funds earmarked for marginalized communities had vanished without a trace.
Each revelation was like a scalpel, slicing away at Saxena's public image. Witnesses who had once feared him now testified courageously, emboldened by Rajiv's preparation and unwavering moral certainty. The man who had judged Rajiv's potential now faced judgment in the harshest court of all—truth and accountability.
Saxena tried to counter, but Rajiv had anticipated every move. The loopholes Saxena relied on were exposed, the excuses dismantled, and even his allies in the legal world were powerless the meticulous case Rajiv had crafted. For the first time, the man who had wielded power like a shield felt the vulnerability of exposure.
When the verdict was announced, the courtroom was silent. Saxena had been found guilty on multiple counts of corruption, his assets frozen, and his career ruined. Media outlets ran headlines emphasizing the symbolic reversal: the boy who failed the IAS interview had brought down one of the very men who had judged him.
Rajiv watched as Saxena's composure crumbled. The arrogance that had once been impenetrable had shattered completely. The man's face, once so assured and haughty, now bore the weight of public shame. It was not vengeance for vengeance's sake; it was justice—long delayed but executed withing—a storm moving silently, meticulously, toward every shadowed corner of power.