Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors

Story:

Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors is a Hindi-language legal drama web series released under Hotstar Specials. Written by Apurva Asrani and directed by Rohan Sippy and Arjun Mukerjee, the series features Pankaj Tripathi, Kirti Kulhari, Jisshu Sengupta, and Khushboo Atre in key roles. It premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on 24 December 2020.

Plot

Episode -1

Bikram Chandra, a prominent lawyer in Mumbai, is shown representing an underprivileged family in court. Meanwhile, his wife Anuradha appears disturbed at home, hesitating over her medication before ultimately discarding it. Ignoring Bikram’s repeated calls, she instead visits Moksh, another influential lawyer and family friend. Later, Anuradha briefly contacts Bikram from a supermarket. Around the same time, Bikram meets Mandira and recommends handing over a case to Nikhat, his former assistant from the first season of Criminal Justice.

That evening, after putting their daughter Rhea to sleep, Bikram notices an unfamiliar number in Anu’s call log. In bed, when Bikram tries to initiate intimacy, Anu resists. He then asks her to get vaseline from downstairs. Instead, Anu retrieves a knife, returns to bed, and stabs Bikram. In a dazed state, she calls a hospital and leaves the house. Rhea, awakened by the noise, discovers her father bleeding, removes the knife from his body, and calls her grandmother.

The police arrive, take Rhea with them, and arrest Anuradha at the hospital. She immediately confesses to the stabbing. The case catches the attention of the police chief, who contacts Madhav Mishra—a small-time, struggling lawyer known for handling hopeless cases. At that moment, Madhav has just gotten married in Patna. Despite being on his wedding night, he agrees to take the case and flies to Mumbai.

Episode-2

Pradhan, Gauri, and Madhav Mishra begin questioning the staff at the Chandra residence and uncover some significant new details. Despite their investigative progress, the case takes a troubling turn when Anu disregards Madhav’s legal advice during a court hearing. She ends up confessing not only at the police station but also in court. This is largely influenced by Officer Pradhan, who is determined to expedite the legal proceedings and appears strongly biased, firmly convinced of Anu’s guilt from the outset. His pressure contributes to Anu’s repeated admissions, further complicating the defense.

Episode – 3

While in jail, Anu befriends Ishani, a fellow inmate who initially appears supportive and takes her under her wing. However, Ishani’s behavior soon shifts, and she begins to mistreat Anu, revealing her manipulative side. Meanwhile, outside the prison, Madhav persuades Nikhat to visit Anu and successfully delivers a message to Anu’s daughter, Rhea. As a result, Rhea expresses a desire to see her mother, bringing Anu a moment of genuine happiness amidst her turmoil.

Episode-4

Pradhan, intent on controlling the narrative, pressures the head of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to ensure Rhea’s statement is recorded before she can meet Anu. He resorts to blackmail to push this through. Sensing something suspicious, Madhav keeps a close watch on Vijji’s residence, where the statement is being recorded. He manages to capture photos of key individuals involved—Pradhan, Gauri, prosecutor Mandira, and Vijji—present during Rhea’s crucial testimony.

Amidst this, Vijji receives a call from the hospital informing her that Bikram has regained consciousness. However, when everyone rushes to the hospital, they arrive just in time to witness Bikram taking his final breath.

Episode-5

Seven months later, the case against Anu takes a more aggressive turn as Mandira and Vijji bring in a new, ambitious prosecutor named Prabhu. Confident in his skills, Prabhu is determined to portray Anu as a cold-blooded murderer not only in court but also in the public eye through strategic media manipulation.

Meanwhile, Madhav and Nikhat continue to investigate Anu’s background and gradually uncover disturbing truths about Bikram. They meet Anu’s father, who reveals that he had remained in contact with Bikram over the years and even paid for Bikram’s surgery two years ago. However, he also discloses that Bikram told each of them—Anu and her father—that the other wanted no contact, deliberately creating emotional distance between them. Their findings also suggest that Bikram had systematically isolated Anu, cutting off her connections to the outside world and leaving her emotionally and mentally trapped.

Episode-6

Madhav and Nikhat grow increasingly suspicious of Bikram after reviewing Rhea’s statement, which reveals that Bikram used their daughter as a means to monitor Anu—tracking who she speaks to and what she does. Meanwhile, in jail, Anu forms a bond with a fellow inmate named Sudha. After Sudha’s son is taken away to an adoption home following her six-year imprisonment, Sudha tragically takes her own life, urging Anu to fight to get out before suffering a similar fate.

At the same time, a DNA test—ordered by Pradhan—unveils a startling revelation: the child Anu is carrying is not Bikram’s but Moksh’s, a lawyer whose medical license has been suspended. This twist adds a new layer of complexity and scandal to the case.

Episode-7

The trial kicks off with Prabhu aggressively portraying Anu as a cunning and manipulative villain. However, when Rhea and Moksh testify, Nikhat and Madhav uncover revealing details that challenge the prosecution’s narrative and bring new perspectives to light.

Episode-8

In the final stages of the trial, Nikhat takes the lead as an unexpected witness comes forward to testify. Meanwhile, a previously overlooked piece of evidence is revisited, ultimately bringing the truth to light.