Dr. MKA smuggled a letter out of jail on April 16, which eventually made it to us. Some parts are not legible, and the letter ends abruptly; there was probably another page. It was written in English. Here is the transcribed text.

16.4.07

At times a crippling thought creeps over me, mostly at dead of night. As a husband and father I have failed: I have landed you into worry, trouble and most of all disrepute propagated around corruption. But then I recover to find out a strength. If I bow down to pressure and propaganda, none in this country can stand against evil and falsehood. So I get up, walk the long corridor, feel the iron bars with my hand, and become convinced this Gulag will not last. Never ever.

Earlier I had sent a draft defense against the charges framed in the F.I.R [First Information Report; basically initial charges or arraignment] against me. With the tables that you had earlier seen, this defense will not [illegible] in a normal civilized course of law allow them to prove their drummed up charges against me. But then, as forces of evil as they are, they may prefer going beyond what is legal, fair, and just. That is why it will be serving my cause if the defense that I drafted is summarized in the form of a newspaper column and sent to people who can raise voice against injustice; senators, state department personnel, human rights organizations, academics, and organizations of professionals. E-mail should be used as the conduit. I am half-hopeful that on April 29/30, Appellate Division [of the Supreme Court] will uphold High Court's decision declaring my detention illegal. If not I will stay in that court till the emergency comes [the rest is illegible].