Who solved Sunanda case: Rajdeep or Arnab?

If two of the nation's best thinkers (and loudest voices) turn their attention to an important question, can answers be long coming?

The other day a murder case was solved live on national television. Two of our best-known detectives examined the evidence, interrogated experts, and looked bitching in expensive suits. Who won? At Scroll.in, we respect our readers more than blood-relatives, which is why we are presenting the facts, so that you can decide. Arnab was supported by no less than eight small talking heads. Rajdeep had fewer heads, but more photographs. I started with Arnab, because of the nation. Since this was an important case, Arnab dropped his introductory harangue and went directly to sarcastic remarks. "Why is Mr. Tharoor stunned?" he asked. "The nation is stunned. Why is he stunned? It’s stunning." He repeated this several times, while the talking heads looked on hopefully.

On the whole, he was quite cheerful, and not as angry as you would expect. The talking heads, who looked nervous initially, began to relax. Shazia Ilmi looked nice without her hat. Her hair looked full and shiny, with plenty of bounce. She still seems a little confused, though, and her only contribution to the debate was that we need proper labs, and that investigation needs to be more efficient. A BJP person with a shiny, bald head said that the law should be allowed to take its own course. The Congress person from Kerala immediately brought in political conspiracies.

"Who’s bringing in politics? Who? Who?" demanded Arnab, at which point the Congress person from Kerala realised that it was him, and did not speak any further. Arnab then spoke at length about Alcoprax, Lupus and coconut water. He heaped scorn on Shashi Tharoor, who is currently at an Ayurvedic Centre, showing that he believes in our ancient heritage, and possibly receiving enemas.

"How could he not know?" Arnab demanded, "that his wife did not have Lupus?" "And now her husband says all this was due to coconut water?’ There is no lack of bravery in the Congress, which is why at this point, another Congress person tried to say that a highly placed person was involved, and Arnab should not speak like this. Arnab glared at him, and he too spoke no more. After a few more disparaging remarks about coconut water, he held up a document, at which point I switched over to Rajdeep.

Rajdeep was taking a far more forensic approach. Nalini Singh spoke on the deterioration of viscera. A Supreme Court lawyer told us how witnesses are unnecessary. But his primary tool was visual. Having already established a reputation as a man who likes beating up his audience, Rajdeep now went one step further and showed them photographs of a dead woman. The dead body coverage was excellent, with multiple angles and repeated zooming. It made the whole thing much more interactive.

So what do you think? Did Arnab make a strong enough case?Or did Rajdeep raise new issues that need to be discussed? And which dead person will Headlines Today feature next? The nation has spoken, and so has Rajdeep. Now you be the judge. (http://scroll.in/)