by UD Yasha
‘I don’t know if he was lying out of desperation. What happened to him is leading me to believe that everything he said was true. The police officer told me they believed Dhar was poisoned. Why kill him in the first place if he doesn’t know anything?’
‘Why was he kept alive then for all these years if he knew something so risky?’ Rathod said.
‘The same argument can be used for all the people who have died in the last forty-eight hours. Something changed just before that. Every second, I am reminded of the sudden shift in Dhar’s body language at the mention of my father being alive. At first, he ridiculed the idea. But after that initial reaction, when he actually gave it a thought, he said that could have only been possible if he had something against the Viper.’
‘Like an insurance policy.’
‘Exactly. Radha, Rahul and I were talking about it earlier too. Why has no one tried to kill us yet?’
As we hit the Yashwantrao Chavan Pune-Mumbai Expressway, Rathod pressed his foot harder on the accelerator. Once we were in cruise, he said, ‘Dhar said that Kabir Ahuja was supposed to meet someone the day he was killed, which is the most interesting part. It’s not mentioned anywhere in the case files.’
‘Probably because no one knew,’ I said. ‘I’ve gone through the evidence several times but did not find any clue of another person being there.’
‘If Dhar didn’t kill Kabir, then someone else did. If there’s no evidence of them being at the crime scene, then it’s possible that whoever Kabir was supposed to meet was also careful and discreet.’
I felt I did not know much about Kabir’s parents apart from the basics. ‘What do you know about Kabir’s parents?’ I said.
‘His father, Motilal Ahuja, is a respected bureaucrat. He was amongst the toppers of the Indian Administrative Service Exam. His career has flown since then. He started off in Delhi, then moved around the country, eventually settling in Mumbai. Six years back when the Modi Government was elected, Ahuja was elevated to being a secretary to the Minister of Defense. He has risen through the ranks and is now the Deputy Defense Secretary of India. He’s well respected across the country. He’ll probably retire at that position in a few years. Kabir’s mother’s name is Kumodhini. She started off as a teacher at Military Schools. She’s the Principal of Delhi Public School now. She’s also on the school’s board.’
‘And you had earlier told me that Kabir used his father’s political connections to further his own career as a journalist?’ I said.
‘That’s right. There’s no proof of that. But Kabir Ahuja was hired right out of college by Indian Times. He was with them till he was killed. Right from his first year at that newspaper, he bagged some of the biggest names in Indian politics. He had also interviewed Atal Bihari Vajpayi two times for an hour each, when Vajpayi was Prime Minister.’
‘Big catch. Journalists would love to get even one sentence from Vajpayi, forget two hours in total.’
‘I have explored the angle of maybe rival journalists or the people Kabir criticized playing a role in his murder. I’ve found nothing so far. But, to be honest, he criticized many people and he had made multiple enemies.’
‘Yes, I read that in the case files. His emails are attached as proof. One of the reasons the police could not locate who allegedly paid Dhar was because of the sheer amount of death threats that Kabir had got,’ I said and paused ‘Where is Kabir and Sheena’s kid now? Wasn’t he just a year old when his parents were killed?’
‘Yes. He’s now studying medicine in Kanpur,’ Rathod said.
We thought more about possible angles that we could explore to understand what happened on the day Kabir Ahuja died. I also read about Motilal and Kumodhini Ahuja’s lives. Rathod was right. Motilal was a respected officer of the Indian Government. He had taken down many deadly gangsters and criminals. He was also responsible for killing members of terrorist sleeper cells. Now, he was into government strategy and planning. Kumodhini was philanthropic in a different way. She had propelled her school to a completely new level. She had introduced mandatory social work hours for all the older students. She played an active role in girl child education in Delhi.
Both of us were hopeful that meeting Kabir’s parents would give us a new lead. We thought they might remember something that may not have seemed relevant earlier, but would now give us a completely new perspective on the case.
We got silent as we got closer to meeting his parents. Perhaps it was just the nervous excitement of finally having a potentially case-changing lead and then building on top of it to crack the mystery of the Viper.
Chapter Thirty-Two
We reached Motilal and Kumodhini Ahuja’s house in Lower Parel at seven forty-five. They lived in an apartment building. The security outside his building was tight. Motilal was a valuable asset to the Indian Government. His position of Deputy Defense Secretary of India was amongst the thirty top positions for a bureaucrat in the country. That meant he knew trade secrets and future and past government plans. He had a high security clearance. Because of all that, the Indian Government was protecting him as best as they could. Apart from the government security, the lane outside the apartment building had two police cruisers and two ambulances.
Any deviation from a plan was looked at with suspicion. So, the security was heavier because of the unplanned nature of Ahuja’s trip.
Since Rathod and I were not residents of the building, the guards outside checked our backgrounds. We had to deposit our weapons outside even though we had declared them earlier and were licensed to carry them. We went through two more security checks, making it a total of four, before we were allowed to meet the Ahujas. We were ushered to their house by another security guard. It was a hospitable gesture but also a part of the security protocol. I wondered how things would have been for Kabir and Sheena if they had access to such heavy security.
The door of their apartment was opened for us even before we rang the bell. Another person took over and we went through a narrow corridor that opened into the actual house.
‘I’m sorry for all the trouble,’ the man, whom I recognized as Motilal Ahuja, said. ‘I know it’s frustrating but they make a big issue if the protocol isn’t followed for anyone. Nowadays, such things can even be national news.’
Motilal Ahuja was a tall man at probably six feet two inches. His posture was upright and his frame was robust. He had a thick moustache that was grey and black, and hair that would have done even a thirty-year old proud. His voice matched his looks and he seemed to be in control of everything happening around him.
‘No, it’s okay. It’s good to know that the people who run our country are well-protected. I’m sure it’s a high stakes job,’ Rathod said. ‘I’m Senior Inspector Kapil Rathod.’
Rathod and Motilal shook hands.
‘I’m Siya Rajput, private detective and lawyer,’ I said and shook hands with Motilal.
‘Please have a seat,’ a lady said, coming out of a door. ‘I’m Kabir’s mother, Kumodhini.’
She offered us a smile. She had a bob cut and was much shorter than her husband. I could make out she was a strict principal. She seemed sweet, but if I was a kid in her school, her smile would have made me fear her more.
A house-help got us some water and kachoris.
‘We were having kachoris from our favourite place in Khan Market in Delhi when I got your call. So, we thought we would pack them and get some here,’ Motilal said. ‘Please have some. You must be tired from the journey. We can start talking right after that. Even we’re eager to know what’s been happening.’
I was hungry so I picked one and Rathod followed suit. We munched in silence as all the masalas seeped into our taste buds. They were probably the best kachoris I had ever eaten. I looked around the house. It was big and appeared luxurious, yet small things lent it a homely vibe. There were multiple colourful rugs on the floor. The sofa set was old-fashioned and wooden.
After finishing and wiping his hands on a tissue paper, Rath
od turned to the Ahujas and said, ‘Did you go through the case summary I had sent you?’
Motilal nodded. ‘Yes, we did,’ he said. ‘It’s sad to see the number of people who have been hurt. To be honest, I’m just very surprised that the same killer who took our precious Sheena is now operating again.’
Kumodhini’s eyes teared up at the mention of her daughter-in-law. Her husband put an arm around and pulled her closer, wiping her tears away. He said, ‘We seem to be okay. But there are times when we just don’t believe that anyone could have taken our kids away like that. At such moments, it still hurts like it happened just today.’
‘I’m sorry. I really can’t imagine what it must be like,’ Rathod said.
I felt for them. It would have been a hard time when the murders had taken place. In a natural death, you may come to terms with the loss of a loved one. But as they are murdered, you begin to lose faith in humanity and kindness. The investigation that follows can be brutal. It lingers and doesn’t allow you to get past the shock. Sheena’s case was closed four years later. That meant facing four years of trauma.
‘Please,’ Motilal said. ‘You said you wanted to ask some questions that could help your investigation.’
We gave them some time to recover. We knew they were feeling a bit better when Kumodhini stopped tearing up.
Rathod showed them the pictures of Jane Doe and John Doe. ‘Do you recognize these people?’ he said, handing them the pictures. ‘We found that the same gun that was used to kill Sheena was used at the crime scene where that woman was found dead.’
Both looked at Jane Doe’s picture closely. They shook their heads in unison.
‘What about the man?’ Rathod said.
They shook their heads again. ‘We don’t know who they are,’ Motilal said, giving Rathod the pictures.
‘Was Kabir supposed to meet anyone in the week he was killed?’
‘He kept meeting a lot of people. I don’t think he was going to meet anyone at the farmhouse.’
‘Do you know anyone named Jathar or Malhar Jathar?’ Rathod said.
‘I read their names for the first time in the case summary that you sent me,’ Motilal said.
‘Me too. We hadn’t come across their names before,’ Kumodhini said, her voice still shaking.
My mind went back to how long some investigations took. The two of them were going through the agony of it all once again. No wonder they were all shaken up. Just when they had started to normalize their lives, the rug under it had pulled.
I had a few questions to ask them myself. ‘I know you’ve been through this many times,’ I said. ‘But does anyone come to your mind after reading the updated case summary? It could be the most random connection. But it’ll be helpful for us.’
Motilal’s eyes wandered as he thought about what I had asked. Kumodhini held his hand and seemed to think about it too.
‘We’re just as clueless now as we were all those years back,’ Motilal said.
I looked at him and said, ‘I noticed that the police had not focused much on your rivals back then. You have had an illustrious career. You have taken down some dangerous men and women and busted scandals. You’ve made enemies too,’ I said.
Motilal said, ‘You’re right. The police just asked me if I thought anyone was a threat. I told them no one specifically came to my mind but I was sure I had pissed off some people.’
Motilal paused and smiled. He got up and beckoned us to follow him. ‘That’s why I took the matter in my own hands,’ he said.
We went to the upper floor of the apartment and then down a corridor. We hung the last right. Motilal used his fingerprint to unlock the room.
‘Here,’ he said, waving his hand inside, stepping away to let us enter.
I was shocked to see what was in front of my eyes. The entire room, bigger than even the living room, was a large murder board. It had lots of photos, names and places. They were connected by threads.
‘This is my own investigation into the murders of my son and daughter-in-law. We just call her our daughter because she was so dear to us,’ Motilal said. ‘They were our life. Someone took them away. The police got one person, that bastard who pressed the trigger to kill my son. But that was it. That’s not justice. I am after the person who paid the bastard.’
The large murder board was reminiscent to the one I had for my mother before we got her back. I knew how he felt, not getting answers or justice.
‘How long have you been doing this?’ Rathod asked.
I already knew the answer. Right from the day that Kabir and Sheena had been killed. This guy hunted down the country’s most feared criminals. It was in his blood to catch the bad guys.
‘Ever since Kabir and Sheena died,’ Motilal said, his voice bearing a steely resolve that accompanied the holding back of tears and pain.
I knew that well, too. People ask you how you are doing. You say you are okay. But inside you, the fire is getting brighter every passing day that justice is denied. Then, there comes a day when the dragon has awakened and it will do anything to seek the truth.
‘I hate whoever took our children away so so much,’ Motilal said. ‘I shared the initial bits of my investigation with the police, thinking they would be interested. But when they accepted that they wouldn’t catch Kabir’s actual killer, I got very angry. How could they just give up? However, I soon realized that their hands were tied. Just like mine were at my job. I also take down criminals, though of a different kind. I have to follow logic and devote my time to the hottest cases—the ones that have the highest potential to be solved. Right now on my desk, I have at least three proposals of cold cases that could lead us to find some suspected terrorists. We may very well find them. But they are only suspected terrorists. Our time and resources are consumed by the ones who are actually planning to wreak havoc in this country. That’s why I understood why the police stopped the investigation. But that didn’t stop me from starting my own.’
‘Have you found anything useful?’ Rathod said.
Motilal shook his head. ‘Not yet. But I know I will. There will come a time when I will speak to the person who ordered that hit on my kids. I will look them in the eye and tell them that they are the world’s biggest coward. I know I’m going to get there soon.’
‘Can you please share the information you have compiled with us?’ Rathod said. ‘We will corroborate it with our findings and see if we can find a link.’
We could make out that Motilal was hesitant at first. But then he realized sharing it would do no harm. ‘Sure, more minds mean a better chance at one of us cracking the mystery.’
We thanked him for showing us his research and work and then headed downstairs again.
‘I’m sorry I cannot help you much,’ Motilal said. ‘I have been battling with all this for a long time.’
‘Just to make sure, so far, in your own investigation, none of your enemies are on your suspects’ list?’ I said.
‘I have gone through them all and I have tracked down all. As far as I know, no one from them ordered the hit. But please look at it yourself with no prejudice. Like I told you, I have been at this for a long time and fresh eyes could help.’
We waited for a spell as Motilal prepared a fresh copy of the data from his investigation for us. He put it all in a 1TB hard drive and handed it to us. We bid goodbye to Motilal and Kumodhini and started back for Pune at ten o’clock at night.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Rathod and I took turns to drive back as both of us were tired. We reached Pune by one thirty at night. He dropped me home before heading to his house. I had told Radha and Rahul about our meeting with the Ahujas.
Radha opened the door when she heard me outside. She hugged me tightly and did not let go for at least a minute. Shadow realized it was a moment to show affection so he started jumping on me.
‘I was so scared,’ Radha said. ‘I’m glad you’re back.’
I suddenly remembered the day when I was ten and afra
id because dad had not come back after stopping a fight during our ‘unlimited ice-cream’ day. I felt similar to how Radha was feeling right now.
I stroked her back. ‘I’m so happy to see you,’ I said, knowing how grateful I was to see her.
Rahul heated dinner for me. My body felt like it was going to collapse any moment. Eating the hot sabji, roti and varan with ghee gave me some energy. I knew I was going to sleep soon.
‘Maa knows something is up. She asked me today,’ Radha said.
‘What did you tell her?’ I asked.
‘Not much. I was vague because she caught me off guard when she asked me. I just told her that you were working on a new case.’
‘Did she ask what case it was?’
‘Yes, and I told her it was a favour for an old friend of yours and that you were just helping out and not the lead in the investigation.’
‘I’m guessing she wasn’t quite satisfied with the answer.’
Radha smiled. ‘She was not. But she let it pass.’
‘We can help you by checking the data on the hard drive that Motilal Ahuja gave us,’ Rahul said.
‘Great. I would need some help with that,’ I said, laughing. ‘I’m going to crash for the night. It’s been an exhausting day.’
As I went upstairs to my bedroom, I saw that the door of maa’s room was open. She called out my name as I walked up the stairs. I don’t know how she heard me as I was taking extra care to be quiet.
‘Can you come inside please?’ maa said.
I went inside and a small lamp flicked on next to maa’s bed. She tapped the bed next to her, asking me to sit.
‘Did you have your food and medicines?’ I said.
‘Right on time.’
She took my hand as we sat down and said, ‘Are you okay?’
‘I know Radha told you that I was helping out a friend with a new case.’
‘I didn’t believe her. I only took from what she said that you were trying to solve a new crime. I don’t think it is for a friend.’
