Having written this book, the reader might question my degree of integrity. In this regard here I share, it was my confession with the former Chief Justice of India in an informal meeting.

One-day Professor K. Purushotham Reddy, an eminent environmentalist asked me to come for a meeting with Mr Aziz Mushabber Ahmadi, the former Chief Justice of India (1994-97). He has come from Delhi to Hyderabad on some personal work.

We were waiting in a Nawabi style hall. Mr Ahmadi has arrived, after introductions, we shared about the environmental activities that we had been doing. It was evening time and the mood was very light and jovial. We were offered tea. He is a gentleman, so I wanted to ask one of the fundamental questions about committing sin and punishment.

In those days in the year 2011, the anti-corruption movement in India was started by the Social Activist, Mr Anna Hazare and it was in full swing. There were a series of demonstrations and protests across India intended to establish strong legislation and enforcement against perceived endemic political corruption. At that time, I saw three well-known leaders were arrested and were taken to the famous Tihar Jail in New Delhi, for three reasons. One person was caught for taking a bribe, another person was caught while giving a bribe, and Mr Anna Hazare for protesting against the bribes and corruption. It means a person could be in Jail for any reason. No person should ever think that I will not go to jail.

I was watching the media every day and was also feeling and had this question surfacing again and again ‘How honest am I?’ So, I asked Mr Ahmadi Saheb that I wanted to go to jail. For some of the reasons such as - I have paid a bribe to the police for getting my passport verification - a routine for no reason they take some money having visited the residence for verification of the candidate credentials and address. For getting the prior permission to get funding from a foreign donor for a project again I have paid a bribe to an officer in India. Paid admission fees for joining my children in the school, where I did not get any receipt. For getting permission for our house paid money to the town planning officer, etc. All these acts amount to a punishable offence under the Indian law.

And I don’t want to go to hell for these sins and want to get punishment here itself so there will be a fair chance to go to heaven. Because in the jails and punishment given is far better than the punishment given in hell. Being a Hindu, the hell of the Hindus will have its own rules of punishment. I learnt that for every sin there is a particular punishment how much duration and intensity I don’t know, but the range of punishments would be such as burning in a fire; hanging upside over fire; beating; burning in oil; piercing the body through a huge stick from bottom to the head, etc. Those punishments are far worse and severe. Although I tried taking holy dips in the rivers on the auspicious days, still not sure, if my ‘Paapam’ (sin) is washed away or wavered as I donated alms and food. And in return how much ‘Punyam’ I got through good deeds - not sure if I could score some points on that.

In Indian jails, Very Important Persons who committed financial crimes are given a separate room with television, newspapers, mobile phones etc. They could also play some games like badminton in the evenings. They are given free food, security and medical attention as part of the rigorous punishment. The schemes declared by the governments to address poverty and welfare of the people never match with the facilities being given to the criminals or offenders, which are far far better. Some people also study and complete their higher education without any hindrance in the jails. They get plenty of time to read and meditate. Some people also write books too. So getting punished in the jails in this present world is sometimes not a great punishment, so that a person realises and repents for the committed acts. There are human rights organisations who will see that humane punishments are in place. The jails are a burden on the taxpayer and the nations too.

Mr Ahmadi said, okay you have confessed before everyone, so there is no need for you to go to any jail. I said even in the courts some people confess before everyone, but they are sent to the jails. Sometimes the judges ask a culprit to take the oath, that I will tell only ‘Truth’ by making them place their hand on holy books of their respective faith. The irony is that if they prosecute even some of the characters in those holy scriptures could be sent to jail by the judge as per the current law of the land. Every judge is a human being and not a hundred percent a human being with the highest integrity. Finally, Mr Ahmadi said that you need to go to a police station for submitting a First Information Report (FIR), most likely the police who makes FIR, may ask you some bribe for the FIR. Oh! not again, this is an unending loop of sin. Therefore, I said ‘I got it.’ Each person needs to be in integrity as much as possible in life. Unknowingly if one does something wrong, there is an excuse, but for each person, the feeling of guilt in itself is the ultimate punishment. The guiltiness is experienced by only the sensitive and human people and not by the heartless people.

I asked a fundamental question to Mr Ahmadi Saheb, did he come across any case where someone has come to the court for divorce because their life partner is corrupt. He said that he has never come across such an incident in his life till date.