The families of Chori Chori Chupke Chupke producer Nasim Rizvi and film financier Bharat Shah were a picture in contrast when a special court in Mumbai announced its verdict on the Bollywood-underworld nexus case on Wednesday.
One family wept; the other was jubilant.
"It is injustice to punish my husband," said Rizvi's wife who did not want to divulge her first name. "He was the only earning member of my family and it is very difficult for me to support my two children. I am running out of my savings."
The Bharat Shah Case: The Full Coverage
She told the policemen in court to "cut a cake and celebrate because it is your victory."
Rizvi and his assistant Abdul Rahim Allahbaksh Khan, who were convicted along with Shah on Tuesday, were sentenced to six years rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 500,000. Shah was given a one-year sentence, but since he has already spent 14 months in jail, he will not have to serve the sentence.
"My life has been affected very badly since my husband was wrongly arrested," Mrs Rizvi said. "My children had to drop out from college as they were recognised everywhere. Now they are doing their graduation by correspondence."
She said she felt hurt because everyone had left her in the lurch. "No one came to my support. Family members and friends have kept away since my husband's arrest. I have seen how people change when something goes wrong in your life. I just pray that such things don't happen to anyone else."
Asked why Rizvi had never spoken out against the police, she said, "His nature is like that. He never speaks much. We have left everything to the will of God."
Shah's family was delighted with the verdict.
"My father was wrongly kept in prison for so long. I am glad we will have a happy Diwali this year," daughter Reshma Mehta told rediff.com
Son Rajeev Shah was pleased, but critical of the police. "For 14 months my father was kept in prison for no fault of his. He was charged under MCOCA (the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act). He is not a terrorist. Why did they do that in the first place?"
'Truth is that my father has been framed'
Asked how he had dealt with the situation after his father's arrest, he said, "It taught me lots of lessons. How things can go wrong in life within days. Nothing is for sure. I realised how important it is to have your father with you in life. I missed him every moment when he was behind bars."
The entire Shah family was in the courtroom when the verdict was announced. Some members of Bharat Shah's family had flown from Antwerp, Belgium. They hugged each other; some were in tears as soon as they heard that Shah was a free man.
"We were very nervous in the morning," Rajeev Shah said. "Now we are relieved."
