by Fawaz Jaleel
“Sir, with all due respect, this could be a blunder. This guy has been nothing but disappointing,” Ila presented her take on the situation.
“Maybe. But today he is at his lowest. A man so beat down can only have one trajectory now. Upward,” Yohan replied, with his hands gesturing a take-off sign. “Now c’mon, let’s get this bastard to spill the truth.”
Ila was surprised. Yohan rarely used cuss words and this was him going out of character. Sukumar stopped his colleagues and tried to complete what he attempted earlier. He showed a few documents and some names circled on it. He insisted that they search the person’s house.
“So, this is adding up to the doubt we had earlier. Sukumar, why don’t you go and secure a search warrant? No matter what time it is, ensure you get them to sign the papers and go for it,” Yohan instructed.
“But sir, this is just a possibility. I know that this adds serious ground to our doubts,” Sukumar appeared cautious.
“Anna, we have pissed off a lot of people. This cements our theories. Meanwhile, Ila and I will focus on Jeevan and Sumit once he is here,” Yohan said as he looked at his phone to see if his father had responded to the query. Not yet.
Ila and Yohan walked to the interrogation room as Sukumar prepared to leave. Inside, quietly and timidly sat the controversial Jeevan who was the missing link in the investigation. Yohan went inside with a strong intent to crack this fort. In the same interrogation room where Raj Pratap sat, there was Jeevan sitting without an iota of fear. He leaned comfortably against the backrest with his legs spread out as he sipped water from the 250ml bottle kept next to him. He had the typical signs of a man who was sure that he would be rescued by his master and, hence, sat with his mouth shut.
“Jeevan, I have two choices for you. Your colleague, Raj Pratap, has gone to arrest Sumit. You can wait for him and the two of you can confess together. It saves us time honestly.” Yohan appeared very calm and behaved as if Jeevan had no way out. Jeevan, on the other hand, didn't believe what the officer said and had a smirk on his face with a disregard of a smile that displayed his arrogance.
“You know what. You are a textbook case. You will not crack and you are sure that Sumit will save you. Forget it, Ila. Let’s just not interrogate this guy. He is a puppet with no self-identity. Actually, he is on a leash. Whipped and no self-esteem,” Yohan continued.
“Sir, we are legally liable to tell him the options he has. I mean he did it for someone else and wouldn’t want to take the whole jail term for murder,” Ila replied.
“As a woman, as someone from Bihar, do you want this guy out in a few years? Let him bloody die inside. I’d rather frame him as the murderer. At least Sumit’s business feeds families. After Sumit’s confession, we can rewrite the case,” Yohan appeared utterly disinterested.
“Sir, that’s unfair. Why do you want to protect Sumit? I have been noticing this sway in your behavior. Just because Sumit is your … Forget it.” Ila was furious.
“Ila, I can take you out of this case whenever I want. So shut the fuck up and leave the room,” Yohan shouted at his colleague.
Ila expressed her disappointment at Yohan’s change in character as she walked away. She slammed the door right behind her and stormed outside in fury.
“Jeevan, I am also taking your leave. We’ll deal with you later. You don’t need to speak to any of the officers.”
“You guys are playing me, right. I am also a policeman. No one is arresting Sumit. I have nothing to do with him.” These were Jeevan’s first words in the interrogation room.
“I am an experienced officer. I am not foolish enough to play a policeman. And I don’t have to convince you of anything.” Yohan walked away from Jeevan and opened the door to leave.
“You are lying. I didn’t say anything. Why would you arrest Sumit?”
Yohan dialed Raj Pratap and put him on speaker. He asked him where he was.
“Sir, I am about to arrest him. Our force has surrounded his house. He can’t escape.”
Yohan cut the call and he moved to the door yet again.
“Why are you so sure he will confess? Seriously.” This time, Jeevan had loosened up. Yohan was not even trying and CI Raj Pratap’s statement rattled the otherwise tough guy.
“Jeevan, I really don't want to waste my time here. I have made up my mind. But just one thing. Do you at least know who Sumit did this for? You did it for him. Who did he do this for?”
“What do you mean?” asked a confused Jeevan.
“Exactly. You are just a pawn in this whole thing. Your boss may also be a pawn. But like the pawn or soldier on the chess board, you have reached the last tile. Now you feel you have all the power. But when the tiles are put back and the next game begins, the pawn is still a pawn but the queen, rook, and castle retain their power. But you, just like the pawn, will always remain one. You have limits.” Yohan was dramatic with his chess analogy.
“Who did he do this for? I mean, he had his own issues against Ashraf,” Jeevan said.
“Jeevan, I have no sympathy for you. I’d rather see you rot in jail because you have become a machine. You just do what you are told. But even the ones who own you treat you worse than shit. Why should I be nice? You have a lifetime in jail to figure all this out.” Yohan made his displeasure clear with every word he uttered. Meanwhile, Jeevan felt his entire relevance and self-respect being questioned. If he were to trust the words of the officer, Sumit who allegedly entrusted him with the task also refused to trust him with all details.
“Can I get a leniency in my sentence if I tell you what I know?” By now, Jeevan had become a very toned-down version of what he was earlier.
“I really don’t want to negotiate for you. I will get what I need from Sumit. He agreed.” Yohan had his stern face on.
“But you cannot deny if someone wants to confess. It's within my rights. Please, sir. I will testify,” Jeevan entered into a plea mode now.
Yohan didn’t respond to him. Instead, he mocked Jeevan’s plea with a smile and left the room. Jeevan pleaded further only to be ignored by Yohan completely as he stormed outside.
After about twenty minutes, Ila entered the room to pick up a file she had left on the couch at the rear end of the room. Ila had a sympathetic look at Jeevan but she walked quickly without initiating any conversation.
“Madam. Please tell sir not to make me a scapegoat in this. Pleaseeee, madam.” Jeevan tried his luck with Ila. She ignored him as much as she could. “See, I have to take orders. I am sorry.”
“But you people are officers of the law. You can’t do this. Ma’am, this is corruption.” Jeevan was petrified at the thought of what could happen to him.
“You are an officer too but you committed two murders for someone else. So, we are not even either,” came Ila’s strong response.
“Your boss seems to be hell bent on pinning this on me. Why? Does he have anything to do with Sumit?” Jeevan tried harder to squeeze a response out of Ila.
“Listen, I am not at liberty to say anything. Let's just leave this.” Ila had picked up her files and was ready to leave.
“Madam, trust me, I didn’t kill. I will tell you everything. Yes. It was me who took the iPad. I also went to Chennai to sign off on the deals for the tanker trucks. Give me a chance. I will explain everything.” Jeevan threw what he thought was his bait for her attention. Ila knew this ties a huge part of the case and also links it to Sumit Rajput. The confession would help tie the existing loose ends and build a strong case against Sumit Rajput, involving the statement by Jeevan Pundir. Despite all the odds and opportunities, Ila chose to walk out. Jeevan sat on his chair, hands tied to each other and head resting on the table, yet again. Ila now walked to the hall where Yohan sat on the couch. Seeing Ila, he lowered his guard and said, “Sorry for swearing at you inside.”
Ila went and sat on the single-seater couch next to the three seater Yohan sat on. She looked at him and smiled, “Oh, you were convincing. He is willing to speak. He conf
essed about the iPad and the truck deal in Chennai.”
“That’s brilliant work, Ila. So, should I join you or will you handle this?” Yohan asked for Ila’s advice.
“I think I should do this alone. You coming in would be an overkill,” she replied.
Yohan smiled and agreed. He just wanted to tie the ends of the case and wrap it up. As Ila walked to the interrogation room, Yohan received a call from Raj Pratap who spoke with his newly found spirit and determination. Raj informed that he had secured the arrest warrant against Sumit and proceeded to his house. Yohan appreciated the swiftness in action and instructed him to bring the man directly to the guest house for questioning.
While everything appeared to be smooth, there was a sign of worry on Yohan’s face. Even as Jeevan sat inside revealing the truths behind his involvement and connection with Sumit Rajput, Yohan’s mind was focused on one thing, rather one person—Chirag Doraiswamy, the man whose absconding was still an unresolved issue in the whole frame of events. He impatiently waited for Sukumar’s number to ring on his phone as the sub-inspector was pursuing a strong lead, one that could lead them to Chirag. While Jeevan’s confession would be enough to accuse Sumit and close the case, the young inspector felt that this case wouldn’t be over without finding this missing person. He had a strong belief that Chirag was still alive in some corner of the country because it would have been easier to find a discarded dead body. If there was one thing that Sumit did right, it was to restrict the use of multiple people from the beginning. It is when his lawyer used his client, a loophole opened for the CBI and a brilliant Sukumar Azhagu capitalized on it. With Jeevan’s confession, the missing links of the tanker truck deal and the iPad were being closed. He would even spill how Piyali’s death happened. But it was difficult to believe that the fear of being exposed when he was yet to be targeted would be the sole reason for Sumit to execute this murder with the help of Jeevan. Of course, if the lead that Sukumar pursued didn’t work out, the team could get Sumit to spill the beans on Chirag too.
As these thoughts clouded Yohan’s brain, the phone rang. It was Sukumar. He thought he should call Ila too but she was busy getting Jeevan to open up. With fingers crossed and weight in his chest, Yohan answered the call.
“Tell me, anna.”
“Good news and bad news,” replied Sukumar.
“Bad news. Always bad news first,” Yohan insisted.
“The media has surrounded the place. This is going to create an unrest once the news is out there. We need to ask Director Verma to be prepared,” Sukumar said.
Yohan wasn’t too disappointed on hearing it. He could hear the commotion behind Sukumar even through the phone. Despite all the cacophony, it wasn’t worse than the worst he imagined it to be.
“And I know what the good news is,” Yohan set it up for Sukumar to deliver.
“We got him, sir. He is alive. He is heavily sedated and with the help of a doctor, we should be able to get him up by tomorrow,” Sukumar gave the news.
“Sedated? Just like Priyanshu, is it?” Yohan enquired.
“Yeah. So, do I go ahead and arrest the man behind this?” Sukumar asked.
“What are you waiting for? Of course. This condition that Chirag is in is enough reason for that.” Yohan was confident.
“But, sir. This is going to have consequences. It's beyond political now,” Sukumar cautioned.
Yohan was that investigator for whom the motive mattered the most. Often, the reasons why people execute crimes are inexplicably insane. He knew the consequences that could follow while arresting a personality of this sort. But unwaveringly, unflinchingly, he instructed his colleague: “Anna, get him to our den. We’ll make him spill and pay for killing a leader who could have been what India wanted. This one is for the citizens of today and the aspiring change makers of tomorrow. No mercy, anna. Get that bastard here.”
Yohan cut the call and walked outside the main door. He looked up to the sky, stretched his hands, and then put them on his face. He knew that tomorrow would dawn upon Bihar and India giving them a closure to the sensational Ashraf Zain murder case.
Chapter 16
Pride Maketh a Man Fall (Part 1 - Chirag & Piyali)
The whole of Begusarai, Bihar, and parts of India woke up seeking a final closure to the Ashraf Zain murder case. The confessions by Jeevan and Sumit, followed by statements from Chirag, coupled with evidence and other records painted the complete picture.
Yohan, Ila, and Sukumar stepped into the conference room to brief Director Verma over a video call. This time, their faces had a common expression, not of happiness or sadness but a sense of relief. It was time to reveal the findings of the case that went through a lot of ups and downs, finally culminating into the arrests of prominent people.
Seeing the team prepare to give their final briefing from Begusarai before leaving to Delhi, Director Verma asked, “Yohan gave me a quick update yesterday. You guys are sure that there’s no mistake in the findings, right?”
Yohan understood the rationale behind Verma’s questioning because once the news of the crime would hit the ground, there could be several serious repercussions.
“Sir, we have covered everything. You can be assured that you will be presenting nothing but the hard truths to the media. We have secured the confessions too,” he replied.
“Brilliant job, Yohan,” Verma applauded.
As Yohan was about to credit the team as a true leader, Sukumar quickly interrupted, “Sir, you mean Brilliant job, Yohan, and even better by Ila madam and Sukumar, right?”
Ila had a smile on her face, while Yohan laughed it out and so did Verma.
“Of course, Sukumar. It’s a team effort. I didn’t congratulate Yohan for the case. That credit belongs to the entire team. I was applauding him for handling you.” It was a day when everyone could relax and take jibes so did Director Verma. Sukumar twisted his lips to the right while Yohan continued, “Let’s start, sir. I will begin with Piyali Sharma’s suicide and then explain the motive behind it, followed by Ashraf Zain.”
⁂⁂⁂
Piyali checked into Hotel Plateau on 4th January, around 3:30 p.m. after paying for her checkout till 6th morning. After she settled in her room, she made a few phone calls using Ashraf’s registered number. Chirag had checked in the previous night and planned to check out on the 5th, as per his hotel records. Once she got ready, she called Chirag via the intercom facility in the hotel. The two of them decided to meet at a restaurant nearby the next day afternoon. Around 12 a.m., Chirag checked out and reached the hotel first and waited for Piyali. Earlier, Piyali and Mukul planned to meet around late evening on the 5th in the same hotel. Chirag confirmed that Piyali and Mukul were indeed in a relationship and very few people knew about it. She had told Ashraf about this discreet relationship much earlier. Chirag admitted that he had an infatuation toward Piyali and when he asked Ashraf if it would be okay to pursue it, the deceased politician told him that she was seeing someone. Ashraf never revealed who it was owing to his vow of silence as promised to Piyali. Around 1 o' clock, on the 5th, Piyali also reached the restaurant. Chirag felt that he was being trailed and being the introvert that he was, he preferred to maintain a low profile about this meeting. He also felt it apt to maintain this secrecy considering the seriousness of facts he wanted to reveal to Piyali. True to Chirag’s beliefs, Jeevan Pundir kept a watch on him based on Sumit Rajput’s instructions. At the restaurant, Chirag explained to Piyali about his and Ashraf’s visits to the areas affected by Bihar riots and his strong revelation on who he felt orchestrated the Ashraf Zain accident, thereby killing him. CI Jeevan saw the duo entering the hotel at different intervals and kept informing Sumit about the proceedings. Piyali was shocked on hearing the events that led to Ashraf’s death. She felt disturbed and even cried on hearing it. It was unfathomable for her to even imagine a crime of this sort has been committed. She told Chirag about Priyanshu and Dinesh’s visit and their revelations about the tutorial mafia. Shen then as
ked Chirag how to proceed and bring the culprits to the limelight. Chirag said that he was trying to gather all the information into a detailed report and submit it to the police and media. When she asked if she could share this with anyone or at least Mukul whom she admitted to Chirag was her lover, he told her to do what she deemed fit. Piyali said that she was meeting Mukul in the evening and was unsure if he should be dragged into this too. Chirag didn’t have any input on this as his mind was slightly disturbed on hearing about Piyali’s relationship with Mukul, albeit him already knowing that she was committed. After all, Chirag is also human and couldn’t control his feelings even though he knew nothing was going to happen between him and Piyali.
After the brief meeting, Chirag bid goodbye and told Piyali that he was leaving to Chennai and would remain in touch with her regarding the next steps. This was the last time Chirag met Piyali. He stepped outside the restaurant and waited for an auto to the station. Using his right hand, he gestured to an auto and managed to stop it. He clutched on the railing, sat inside, and instructed the auto driver to take him to the station. Chirag rarely started conversations with strangers, owing to his shy nature. Customary to Indian behavior, the auto driver struck a random conversation which mostly received nods from Chirag instead of replies. The journalist preferred to be on his phone and catch on readings he had missed during these short and long journeys.
“Sirji, I think a vehicle is following us,” the auto driver expressed his concern.
Chirag was surprised at the observation and said, “It's the road to the station. They must be heading to the same location.”
“Sirji, I thought so too but the vehicle refused to overtake even after I gave way multiple times.” It is common for autos to give way for faster vehicles so that their pace isn’t affected.
Chirag panicked slightly as he had been feeling that he was being tagged since Ashraf’s death. He asked the driver to speed up and get him to his destination.
