Chapter 8
A/N: Thank you all for the reviews and views! :D :D Sorry I'm in a hurry so can't write the author's note to my heart's content. I'll re-update this later today again.
And bubbli b, first and foremost, 'm really, really sorry that I updated it quite late, but I do have my personal reasons for it. Regarding the interest going off, I totally understand your point. but this was a very difficult chapter to write, because everything has to be explained properly without overseeing any details. Writing an investigative and non-investigative together is really tough, and I'm trying my best. Sorry once again for the late update, and I do hope you read this. :)
Also, there has once again been a decline in the reviews. Guys, you people's reviews are the things that keep me going. So please, if you are reading this, it doesn't take more than two minutes of your time to tell me how has this turned out. Not begging for reviewers, but as a writer, knowing how you've written a chapter is very crucial.
Now, Happy Reading! :D
At Aastha Research Centre:
"Aap log yahan phir se?" His tone was cold and exasperated. This was the first time that the team had received such a cold reception from him.
"Humein khooni ka pata chal chuka hai."
Abhijeet gave him a knowing look. He, in return, only raised an eyebrow. Abhijeet took a seat on the opposite side of the table, while he opened a file in front of him and pushed it towards him. He looked at the file and Abhijeet saw the tiniest flicker of surprise on his face before his face turned passive once more.
"Jaisa ki tum jaante ho ki Arjun ne woh bars churaaye hue the aur iske liye humein shak tha ki kisi ne use paise ka laalach deke yeh karwaya. Humne woh account trace kar diya hai jisse woh paise aaye the. Woh Raghu ka account tha."
A slight smile erupted on the person's face. Daya now took over.
"Humne Raghu ka account ke transactions study kiye toh pata chala ki paise Arjun ke account mein transfer karne ke baad uske accoung mein koi paisa tha hi nahi. Hum log tab hi samajh gaye ki zaroor kuch na kuch hamaari aankhon se chhut raha hai."
Freddy now continued.
"Humne airport authorities se baat kiya aur jaankaari nikaal toh pata chala ki uss din Arjun ki flight Australia se 9 baje land hui thi. Tabhi hum log ka shak aur badhta gaya. Investigation ke baad, hum logon ne Arjun aur Rajeev ki kundli nikaali. Humein Arjun ke baare mein details sirf 3 saal pehle tak ka mila aur Raghu ka sirf dedh saal ka. Aur chhanbeen karne par pata chala ki Arjun ek witness protection ka hissa hai jiske wajah se teen saal pehle use wk nai pehchaan di gayi thi. Raghu ke baare mein kuch aur nahi pata chala. Phir itne dino ke haar ke baad, jiske beech Akash aur Mannu, dono ki maut hi gayi, humein bars aur formulas dono mile."
Throughout the explanation, he had the same, cold and calculative expression on his face. Abhijeet took over once more.
"Par jis file mein papers the, woh sirf formulas nahi the, unke saath saath yeh bhi tha." Flipping the file's pages, he got the page he was looking for. It was one of the papers from Akash's illegal pharmaceutical company.
"Agar, iss company ka malik Akash tha, toh iss pe aapke signatures kya kar rahe hai, Tarun ji?"
For the first time, a look of fear passed through Tarun's face. Camouflaging it with great difficulty, Tarun spoke with a gruff tone.
"Aap kehne kya chahte hai?"
"Yeh papers dusre companies ke saath contracts sign karne ke hai. Maine company ke saare papers check kiye hai. Pichle dedh saal se companh ke saare contracts tum hi sign kar rahe ho. Agar yeh company Akash ki hai, toh aapka sign kya kar raha hai?"
Tarun gave a blank look to Abhijeet. Abhijeet could see him trying to find a defense, but nothing occured to him. After opening and shutting his mouth several times during which he could not think of uttering a single word, he sighed and then spoke in a blank and monotonous tone.
"Aap ke paas inn papers ke alawa mere khilaaf koi sabot nahi hai. Aur yeh baat toh sab jaante hai ki Akash ek handwriting expert tha, toh mere lawyers yeh baat ko toh aasani se jhutla sakte hai."
"Mujhe pata hai. Isiliye mere paas kuch aur bhi hai. Abhi aadhe ghante pehle, tumhaare ghar ki talaashi li hai hum logon ne. Tumhaare ghar mein se yeh mila hai." Abhijeet brought forward an evidence bag, with a gun in it.
"Gun .50 caliber ki hai, wahi caliber, jisse Arjun aur Raghu ko maara gaya. Magazine mein se do goliyan gayab hai. Crime scene pe jo gun shells mile the, who issi gun se match karti hai. Aur toh aur," Abhijeet now wore a smirk on his face, "Yeh gun pe tumhaara ek fingerprint mila hai."
"Kya!?" Tarun looked aghast now. "Yeh kaise ho sakta hai?"
"Kyun nahi ho sakta? Tumne gun toh finger-prints ke liye saaf toh kiya, par trigger par se fingerprints nikaalna bhul gaye. Trigger pe tumhaare aur Mannu, dono ke fingerprints mile hai."
Tarun knew the game was up. There was no point in pretending anymore, neither was there any added advantage in playing dumb. Seeing that speaking the truth was the only advantage he had currently, Tarun dropped all his pretense and spoke once again in the same monotonous tone.
"Main yeh company mein pichle 6 saal se kam kar raha hoon. Main Rajeev sir ka protégé tha aur Rajeev sir ke baad next head tha. Jab Rajeev sir saath woh sab hua, uske baad mujhe Rajeev sir ka position mila tha."
Abhijeet noted the way Tarun was speaking about Rajeev. Two weeks back, Tarun spoke about him as though he had never known him at all. His tone had a gratifying note in it, but even as Abhijeet noted it, Tarun's tone turned cold once again.
"Rajeev ke position mein aane ke teen mahine baad, mujhe Rajeev ke sacchai ke baare mein pata chala ki woh bekasur tha, aur Akash uss sab ka zimmedar tha."
"Kaise?"
"Main Akash ke cabin mein se kuch papers laane gaya tha. Tabhi uske pharmaceutical company ke related kuch papers mere haath lage jisse mujhe pata chala ki Akash phir se apne illegal activities shuru kar diya hai."
"Tumne kya kiya?"
"Isse pehle ki main kuch karta Akash ne mujhe pakad liya. Company mein uss wakt kaafi saare rumors phail gaye the ki shayad Akash ne jaanbhujkar Rajeev ko apne raaste se hataane ki koshish ki. Main bhi unhi logon mein se tha jo yeh baat manta tha. Uss din mera shak yakeen mein badal gaya."
However cold and detached Tarun's tone was, Abhijeet could not help but notice that Tarun used a very evasive language with regard to Rajeev, and so far nowhere did Tarun ever mention Rajeev's being dead as an affirmative. It only strengthened his theory. Tarun continued.
"Akash ne mujhe saaf saaf dhamki di thi ki ya toh main yeh baat ko chup rakhu, ya woh mera wahi haal karega jo usne Rajeev ka kiya tha. Main police ke paas saboot leke jaane wala tha ki tabhi Akash ne mere saamne ek deal rakhi."
"Deal kya tha?"
"Deal yeh tha ki agar main kisi ko iske baare mein na bataun, toh woh mujhe apne company ka equal partner banayega. Quick profit, quick money aur quick fame and status."
"Aur tum maan gaye?" There was a disgusted look on Daya's face as though he has never seen him clearly before.
"Main ek lower middle class family se belong karta hoon sir, jahan pe bachpan mein mujhe ek hi baat school mein aur logon se samajh aayi hai ki paise se badhkar duniya mein kuch bhi nahi hota. Sirf talent hone se kuch nahi hota. Talent bahar laane ke liye bhi paisa chahiye hota hai. Maine Akash ka offer maan liya aur uss din ke baad, maine Rajeev ke baare mein zikar nahi kiya."
"Par company toh loss mein jaa rahi thi na? Phir tumhein kaunsa profit milta partner banne se?" Tarun shook his head at Freddy.
"Kyunki company ko court orders ke issuance pe seal kar diya gaya tha, company ke saare debts khatam ho gaye. Akash ke paas factory mein sabhi consignments th isiliye woh fir se aona business underground basis pe shuru kar saka."
"Phir kya hua?"
"Akash ne mujhe company ka active partner bana diya aur woh khud hath gaya. Pichle dedh saal se maine company ka sab kuch sambhala hai, uss company ko ek itna successful company banaya hai, aur saath hi mein kisi ko iss baat ki bhanak bhi nahi padne diya. Par usse koi baat samajh mein hi nahi aati thi!"
Now a demented look was creeping over Tarun's features, making him look crazy.
"Woh company bandh karwaana chahta tha. Woh chahta tha ki formulas hum log kisi aur company ko beche, humaari khud ki company ko nahi."
A déjà vu was forming in Abhijeet's head and sure enough, Tarun expressed exactly the same thing.
"Jis wajah se usne Rajeev ko maarna chaha aaj usse karan se bhaag raha tha. Mujhe gussa aaya aur maine Akash ko dhamki di ki agar woh nahi mana toh main police ke paas chala jaunga."
"Aur?"
"Aur? Aur? Woh hasa mujhpe. Usne mujhe bewakof bulaya. Yeh kehkar ki agar main police ke paas gaya toh main hi sabse buri tarah phas jaunga kyunki uss company ko main pichle dedh saal se apne naam pe chala raha tha. Maine tabhi faisla kar diya ki main Akash ko mere aur mere kamyaau ke beech nahi aane dunga. Main samajh gaya ki mere paas ek hi raasta hai."
"Mannu aur Arjun ko kaisa shaamil kiya plan mein?"
"Mannu Rajeev ka assistant hua karta tha. Woh usse kafi attached tha. Jab Rajeev ke saath yeh sab hua, tab uska sabse zyada asar Mannj pe hi hua tha. Mannu mujhe pehle se hi pasand karta tha. Use thoda phuslakar plan mein shaamil kar diya."
"Kya kaha tumne use?"
"Yahi, ke main ab Rajeev sir ka badla Akash se lene waala hoon aur Akash ne jo bhi sir ke saath kiya hai, uska hisaab use chukaana padega. Maine phir Mannu ko mere pharmaceutical company ka partner hone ke baare mein bataya, aur yeh bhi bataya ki Akash mujhpar bohot bharosa karta hai, aur ab aakhir mein badla lene ka wakt aa gaya hai."
It was the perfect masterstroke in Abhijeet's opinion. Toying with emotions with the perfect amount of flattery. Abhijeet couldn't gelp notice once again the way Tarun had used the word sir. He felt sickened interrogating Tarun. People ultimately fell back to close ones and friends in the time of need, and here was one man who had no value for any of this. He felt a strong urge to smack him repeatedly for his heartlessness, but kept restraint on himself. He wasn't even halfway across. He looked beside him to find Daya have the same revolted look on his face. Abhijeet gave Tarun a cold look of his own, before he put forth his next question.
"Par Arjun ka inn sab se kya matlab? Agar tumhein koi aisa aadmi chahiye tha jo bars deliver kar sake, woh toh koi bhi kar sakta tha. Arjun ko especially Australia se bulana. Iska kya matlab?"
"Arjun Rajeev ka sabse accha dost tha. Mannu ko chhodke, agar Rajeev kisi par bharosa karta tha toh woh sirf Arjun tha. Isiliye maine Arjun ko bhi isi tarah manaya jis tarah maine Mannu ko manaya. Woh maan gaya aur yahan aane ke liye tayyar ho gaya."
"Par Arjun ko toh Raghu bhi jaanta tha na?" Freddy asked the question this time as he remembered a part of the conversation during their first round of investigation.
"Haan... ittefaak ki baat hai na?" Tarun had a strange glint in his eyes. At that moment, Abhijeet felt something dawning over him, but it was still obscure. Keeping the thought temporarily aside, Freddy asked again.
"Phir kya?"
"Arjun ko maine pehle hi Skype aur phone pe sab kuch samjha diya tha, aur Mannu ko bhi sab kuch pata tha. Bas, phir plan ko effect mein laane ka wakt aa gaya."
"Tumne Raghu ko apne plan mein shaamil kyun nahi kiya?"
"Kisi na kisi ko toh bakra banana hi tha sir." A manic look appeared on his face now.
"Waise tumhein itna yakeen kyun tha ki Raghu uss din Arjun ko lift dega?"
"Main Raghu ko bohot acche tarah se jaanta hoon. Bohot accha hai, aur kisi ki bhi madad kar deta hai woh." The picture of a certain person flitted before his eyes for a moment. Realisation was close by.
"Arjun ko kyun maara tumne?"
"Jitne zyada log, utna zyada khatra. Maine pehle se hi yeh soch ke rakha tha ki Arjun ka kaam hote hi main use maar dunga."
"Par mujhe ek baat samajh mein nahi aati, agar Mannu aur Arjun Rajeev ke dost the, toh zahir si baat hai ki woh dono ek dusre ko bohot acchi tarah se jaante honge. Phir tumne Mannu ko Arjun ko maarne ke liye kaise...?"
A smile no less than evil appeared on Tarun's face now. He seemed to have an egoistic pride over this.
"Maine Mannu ko yeh kehke Arjun ke ghar bheja ki maamla ko thanda karne ke liye maine aur Arjun ne plan banaya hai ki use goli maarni padega. Maine Mannu ko ek gun diya yeh kehkar ki Arjun ne bullet-proof jacket pehna hua hai, toh use kuch nahi hoga, aur woh bach jayega. Mannu ko plan pe shak tha par woh phir bhi maan gaya. Aage ka toh aap jaante hai."
"Par hum log laghbagh wahi wakt par pohonche the jab Arjun ko goli lagi thi. Mannu humein mila kaise nahi? Aur toh aur, Arjun ek building apartment mein rehta tha, koi villa mein nahi."
"Mannu wahan watchman ke bhes mein gaya tha. Uss buding ka watchman har roz wahi time par chai peene ke liye building ke bahar 10 minute ke liye nikal jaata hai. Uss din bhi yahi hua."
The remaining story became clear. But it seemed that now that Tarun started speaking, he couldn't stop anymore.
"Mannu ne mujhe bataya ki woh waha se nikalne hi wala tha ki tabhi aaplog waha aaye."
Abhijeet distinctly remembered asking the watchman the floor on which Arjun lived to which he had got a mono syllable answer. Kajal was the only one to have interacted with the watchman, and surely when Abhijeet turned towards Kajal, a look of shock and realisation could be seen on her face.
"Mannu ko kyun maara?"
"Main use nahi maarna chahta tha. Par use mujhpe shak ho gaya tha ki ho na ho main uska dayda utha raha tha. Main ussdin uske ghar pe usse milne gaya tha. Tab tak use san kuch pata chal gaya tha mere plan ke baare mein. Usne police ke paas jaane ki dhamki di, aur agar min uska baat nahi maanta toh woh mujhe goli maar deta. Hum dono ke beech hatapayi ho gayi, aur goli use lag gayi. Tabhi aap log pohonch gaye wahan pe. Mere paas locker ki chaabi lene ka time nahi tha. Main peeche ke raaste se bhaag gaya."
Tarun looked completely angry and flabbergasted by now.
"Agar aap log apni taang nahi adaate, toh aaj yahan mere plan ke hisaab se Raghu yahan hota, main nahi!"
"Tumhein kya lagta hai, itne massom logon ki jaan lene ke baad, tum bach jaate? Aur toh aur ek begunah aadmi ko phasaake..."
"Begunah! Aur woh!" Tarun let out a manic laughter that made chills run down everyone's spines. It was hollow and demented with glee at the same time.
"Kya kehna chahte ho?"
"Raghu jitna begunah dikhta hai, utna toh hai hi nahi! Ho na ho, ussi ne Akash ka khoon kiya hai!"
"Kya keh rahe ho tum?" Daya's tone had turned sharp now. "Tumne Akash ko nahi maara?"
Tarun let out a supremely satisfied expression. "Main Akash ko apne raaste se hataana chahta tha, maarna nahi. Who itna bada kaayar tha ki zindagi ke chaar musibaton ne use kya gher liya, chat ke kud jaata. Woh apni jaan khud hi le leta. Par jab mujhe pata chala ki Aakash ki maut zeher se hui hai, tabhi main samajh gaya, ki yeh kaam kisi uska ka hi hai."
Abhijeet could finally understand what was dawning upon him. As it blew right in front of his face, he only needed one final proof from Tarun about his theory. It had almost been right, and he was almost there. Daya never got to know who the "uska" was supposed to mean, for Abhijeet cut him right at that time.
"Ek baat bolo, tumhein itna yakeen kyun tha ki Raghu Arjun ko bejhijhak lift de dega? Aisa bhi toh nahi hai ki Arjun zabardasti ghus sakta tha. Uspar tabhi Raghu ko shak ho jata."
"Raghu bewakoof hai sirf. Usne logon pe vishwas karna kabhi bhula hi nahi hai. Sab ka bahal karta phirta hai." Abhijeet and Tarun locked eyes for a moment, before Abhijeet nodded in satisfaction. He had been right. And now, there was only one thing left to do.
Justice.
There! :D Finally update done! Sorry for the delay, and constructive criticisms will be more than welcome! :D
