The Truth 1998

Bharath Patteri, Mammootty, a respected Brahmin astrologer, lends his insight to a police operation aimed at cracking a notorious temple robbery that casts a long shadow over Kerala politics. The scheme centers on the powerful Chief Minister Madhavan, Balachandra Menon a steady hand who launches a hard-line crackdown on corrupt officials. With a crucial by-election looming, Madhavan must keep his grip on the office, while his own party plots to undermine him. In a chance encounter with the CM, Patteri senses a grim omen about Madhavan’s political future and clings to hope that the by-election might be averted, even as the tensions around power and allegiance intensify.

Meanwhile, a mysterious and seductive woman enters the story, meeting an accomplice as they scrutinize the plans for an assassination they intend to execute soon. On the eve of Madhavan’s next election rally, DGP Hariprasad IPS, Murali voices concern about an anonymous threat call, prompting DYSP John, Saikumar, to stay close to Madhavan and provide protection. Yet tragedy strikes: a deadly explosion claims Madhavan, John, and several others on the stage. SP Meena Nambiar, Vani Viswanath, takes charge of the initial inquiry from the debris-strewn scene, her team balancing public spectacle with a painstaking hunt for truth.

With a CCTV fragment recovered from the wreckage, Meena’s investigation circles around the enigmatic killer—a woman who slipped into the venue with a forged reporter pass. Authorities trace her supposed residence and arrest the homeowner and his family, only to discover they were misled by the real culprit. The case looks to stall because the evidence appears muddled and the judge grows restless at the lack of solid leads. The volatile mix of sensationalism and media attention spurs the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), and the case moves to a higher level of scrutiny.

From New Delhi, the SIT arrives led by DIG Bharath, the son of Patteri, setting up a tense dynamic with Meena. As Bharath digs deeper, he faces threats and assassination attempts, even inside the IPS headquarters. He grows convinced that the killer is not a lone female operator but a more complex, inside job within the police and political circles. The photograph of the killer proves to be a decoy, and the team learns the real target is male, a clue that shifts the entire investigation. By manufacturing a male version of the suspect’s image and publicizing it, they close in on the truth and apprehend the killer’s accomplice, only to discover Bose is already dead, leaving the case with more questions than answers. A prior misstep in a similar attempt hints at a broader conspiracy at play.

As the investigation deepens, Bharath uncovers a web of motive: John had been unraveling an explosion at a fireworks factory connected to a powerful explosive license holder, Poozhimattom Thomachan, a political heavyweight with far-reaching influence. Thomachan’s operations appear to fuel terrorist activities, and John’s findings threaten to expose a wider racket. In this tangled plot, Madhavan’s murder serves as a distraction to cover up the more extensive crimes at hand, and the team discovers a fearsome pattern of corruption that extends beyond the surface.

The most startling revelation arrives when the puppet master and the silent partner behind the explosive deals emerge: Hariprasad, the DGP who had steered the investigation from the start, manipulating evidence and steering outcomes to safeguard the larger conspiracy. Hariprasad’s long game involved several attempts to silence Bharath and to keep the protracted schemes under wraps. The SIT’s final report pins both Hariprasad and Thomachan for their roles in the illegal explosives network, delivering a verdict that mirrors the complexity of a case built on deception, power, and redacted truths. In the aftermath, the SIT returns to Delhi with a promise of advancement for Pothuval, acknowledging his crucial help in untangling a case born from political ambition and personal gain.