A man was found guilty and convicted to death by hanging, by a District Magistrate in a small town, in one of the fastest trials and judgments in the country. He was 24 years old at the time.

All names of places and people have been secreted to protect their privacy and honour.

The media was roused and screamed that such a thing could happen only because of pressure from 'political' or rich and powerful forces; one or the other, or both. In the hue and cry that followed, the lawyer of the felon filed an appeal in the higher court alleging unfair judgment by virtue of having been 'influenced'; probably for the same reason, the appeal was dismissed. So it was re-filed in the High Court of the state, with the same result. Then it went to the Supreme Court. At this time the age of the convict was 39 years. The Supreme Court could not take up the matter quickly enough because it was busy arbitering on whether a particular song in a film should contain the name of a particular city, which had just been altered, or deleted before its release to prevent a law and order situation. The case languished. The media took up hectoring of other issues.

By happenstance, the case was revived, and it was alleged that it was at the instance of 'powerful' interests. CBI and other investigative authorities were summoned for help, and many committees and inquiry commissions were appointed to look into it. The involved hospital, and the pathologists who performed the alleged post-mortem of the alleged victim were unearthed and summoned. A dispute arose about whether the vicitim’s remains were consigned to cremation or buried. Friendly countries made offers of help through ISI, FBI, CIA, Mossad, MI5, which were politely, in keeping with the protocol, declined. The electronic media was hoarse, screaming “Foul, foul.” So did the friends and family members of the alleged victim/s. The age of the convict was now 59, and he was in the 11th jail from his first incarceration, and not celebrating. "Hang him! Hang him!" "Politicians resign!" "Disband investigative agencies, as useless, corrupt and worthless!" The Supreme Court took up the matter of deciding whether narco, videography and other forms of investigation and evidence were legally admissible and could be applied to the case.

Suddenly, to everyone’s surprise, the judgment from the Supreme Court was released, upholding the sentence. As is the custom, the defendant’s advocates filed a Mercy Petition to the President of India. At the time, the age of the Petitioner was 69.

At the age of 79, our hero or villain, as you will, was found hanging in his cell, having tied all the rags and clothing material that he had been collecting from various jails. The only thing on his body that was found which was his own and belonged to him only was a pair of socks, given to him by a sympathetic relative during very inclement weather.

Vicariously following this case at sporadic intervals, media, symbiotically related to the society, decided in their collective wisdom that since the sentence could not be carried out on the victim, but the primacy of law should be upheld, to "HANG THE SOCKS."

This is not a true story; the unrelenting tragedy is, that it could be.