Time is a dictator. A cruel dictator who doesn't pay any attention to the emotions of his subjects. He orders and we are forced to live by his orders. No one had still dared to question his authority. Nor did he.
The verdict gave him a satisfactory smile on his face. That smile confused others. Some declared that he is mentally ill. Others proclaimed that it shows his disregard to the law of the nation. But for him it is an acknowledgement for giving him the freedom from all earthly pains and fears. Today he didn't look on his team members with hope. He doesn't shed a single tear. He has surpassed such stages of emotions already. His expectation graph after reaching at the maximum point fell steeply to reach back at the orign and does not rise again. Being A CID officer he was held captive numerous times by his enemies. But never had he felt as broken as he felt in these days. On those captive days he had a hope an expectation that someone is waiting for him which never let him to fail. But today he is defeated. But by whom . He had no answer. Maybe he himself defeated him. Today he didn't reminisces his golden past, never regret on his long lost memories, nor makes plans for the future. He had only a composed mind and a composed face. Or at least he pretends to be so. The only thing that annoys him is the long wait of three months. He want to end up everything in that moment itself.
Yes the three months in the dark dungeons of Mumbai. Which started with a loud sonorous bell which is just a time indicator for others, but for him it announces that he is one day more nearer to his eternal freedom . The rest of the day he spent working in the farms digging and planting something, washing and cleaning the verandah, sometimes in the kitchen cooking dry rotis and a fluid they called as curry for the roti, frequently doing the carpentry work, and at other times in quarries beating and carrying hard stones on his head as allotted to him by authorities in fulfillment of his hard labour. Sarcastic comments often accompanied it. No one had sympathy for a prisoner of course. They are always treated with a contempt.
Washing the plates of the jail heads are often the duty of the prisoners. Today he has been asked to do so.
Jailer: Are dekho kya saubhagy mila hai Hume. Aaj the great senior Inspector Abhijeet humare plates do raha hai.( Abhijeet eyes slowly filled at this tease.
Policeman 1 : Aur kya sir . Humare kismat dekho.
Abhijeet silently put the plates at the table and was about to move out.
Jailer: Are dekho ye Achi tarah saaf nahi hua. Ek bar aur saaf karo.
Abhijeet did so without uttering a word.
Jailer: Are tumare hath Itna kamzoor hai kya. Ek aur bar sare bartan saaf karo.
This continued 2 more times . Finally he retorted.
Abhijeet: sir Mene ye Achi tarike se saaf kiya hai.
Jailer: Hume njan de rahi hai kya. Kaidi hai tum kaidi
Abhijeet: Nahi sir . Mai yaham kanoon ke kaid mai hai. Apka nahi. Mujhe Jo Kaam diya tha vo mai kiya hai.
Jailer : Aisa hai kya. Tumare ahankar ab bhi khatam nahi hua hai. To ek Kaam karo. Aaj raat sare kitchen saaf karo tum akele. Kal Mujhe bhojan pakane ke purv sab saaf chahiye . Samacha.
Whom should he complain . Who will trust him . These instances occurred regularly. He was chained to the workplaces. Stood hours in queue for receiving a slice of roti. Many a times this wait ended fruitless as some others snatched the food from him, leaving him hungry for the rest of the day. Other prisoners look at him as a heinous criminal. At times they throw stones at him . He remained quiet as he didn't want to indulge in any quarrels in these last days. He was isolated totally in that prison . The most worst of all is the smirking smiles and tease of those prisoners who was jailed by him.
When on one day he was passing by
Prisoner 1: Tume janta hai ye Kon hai.
Prisoner 2: (dramatically) Nahi
Prisoner 1: Humare Mumbai ka rakshak. The great snr inspector Abhijeet. The best officer of Cid Mumbai
Prisoner 2: Acha. Aur ab yaham is haal mai.
Prisoner 1 :Are jab kuch paisa mila tho sachai ke sath Sath sab kuch bhool kiya.
Prisoner 2: Bechara
Prisoner 1: Abhijeet babu. Kya dialogue thi us din Hume arrest karne samay. Zabardast acting dhi.
He walked away . Some water droplets appeared in his eyes.
Everyday he counts his days and felt a relief in the evening. The hope of that day ,his last day, helped him to endure everything.
The nights were really terrifying. In that small cage ,he sat on that flirty cold floor shivering . Sleep was far from him. His not properly cured injuries and further stress it suffers in the hard labour give him intolerable pain in nights adding to his mental trauma. His thoughts were his only companion during this sleepless nights. He analysed and reanalyzed his misfortune in these nights only to make his condition more pathetic. His reality comes to foreground. He remember him,talks to him in such nights. How can he forget him . Who is there other than him to reduce his pain.
Abhijeet: Daya tum aaj bhi nahi aya. Mai bahut intezaar kiya. Vo log mujhe Kal raat bahut Kaam karwaya. Yadi tum yaham hotha hai tho tum un sabko ek ache sabak seek diya hothe na. Tum ne us din kaha dha na tum Meri pain bardash nahi karunga. Ab Mai bahut pain mai hum. Bahut sah liya hai. Sab mujhpur mazaak ud raha. Aur Deri mat karo Daya. Yadi tum der hua tho mai tume chodkar jaunga. Phir wapas kabhi nahi aaunga. Daya is baar mai bahut serious hai. Tum sun raha hai na.
Then he smile on his silly act. But it give him an unknown consolation
At intervals he suffered from high fever. But who was there to take care of a death awaiting criminal. He is forced to work during those days too. Feeling dizziness ,he fell down two or three times in that days. But the only remedy they provide was an hour rest after which he had to join back in the former duty. Such dizziness are considered as attempts to escape work and are treated with contempt
Kaam nahi karne keliye kya kya bahana banti hai kya. Hume pata hai tum acha actor hai. Lekin ye jail hai koi film studio nahi.
After one or two initial experiences he became used to this situation.
Two weeks passed. Now he has a companion . One day they were working in the land in the scorching heat. Each one of them had to carry 20 head load of stones from one place to another. A tiring day it was. That man in his late 50's suffered from a sun stroke and fell down. Jail wardens treated him brutally.
Jail warden: tume acting karne ka bahut shok hai na. Aaj yathi bhojan chahiye tho ye Kaam puri karo.
Abhijeet felt an unknown pain in him proving that his emotions had not died out completely. He felt an urge to fight for that man. His habit of fighting, of course for others , has not still left him.
Abhijeet: Sir ye anyay hai. Vo Mar jayenga.
Jailer: Tum Kon ho Hume sikhane ke liye. Are Abhijeet Sir bhool gaya hai kya ab tum senior Inspector nahi balki ek kaidi hai.
Abhijeet:( ignoring the tease)Sir app please vo bahut thak gaya hai. App kuch kijiye.
The bell rang and every other prisoner left for food.
Jailer: Itna dukh. Acha theek hai. Tum ek Kaam karo . Tum uska Kaam poora karo. Mujhe Sirf ye Kaam poora hona chahiye. Kyom ab dukh shant hua kya.
Jailer left with a teasing smile. Abhijeet looked at his own condition. He is already tired and exhausted. He felt that one more step ahead will collapse him . But how can he ignore that man's pain even if he is a stranger to him . At last that tiring work too surrendered to the will power of tha man who was once the most determined officer of Cid Mumbai. This act of kindness earned him these new companion who spoke continuously like a chatter box. Abhijeet most often listened to him and spoke rarely. Having someone to talk to him was also something big for him in that hours of pain.H is name was Sampark.
Sampark: tumare Naam Abhijeet hai kya.
Abhijeet: hmm
Sampark: yaham kaise aaya.
Abhijeet himself was not aware of the answer for his question.
Abhijeet: vo mai ..
Sampark: Are nahi Batana tho nahi bathao. Tume dekhkar hi lagta hoon ek acha admi hai. Dukhi mat ho. Jeevan mai aisa hota hai.
On another instance Sampark was writing a post card.
Abhijeet: ye kya hai.
Sampark: beta, bachi ke liye ek post card bhej raha hum. Tum bhi likho. Mere pass aur bhi card hai. Koi hoga na ghar mai.
It bought tears in his should he reply. He nodded in no.
Sampark: Mujhe ek beti hai. Hum garib dhe lekin bahut Khush dhe. Jub Hume ek bachi mila tho mai aur meri Patni Sandya sach mai utsav manayi. Jub vo Mujhe baap bulaya tho mai ek matra mai Dunia ke sare sukh ka anubhav kiya. Hum uske liye bahut sapna buna. Vo bahut sunder dha. Meri doll dhi. Ek din ek amir ladka ke Nazar us par pada. Vo uske picha karkar use chidata raha. Ek din ghar mai Meri bachi Akela dhi. Jub hum wapas aya tho mei dekha dha ki usne Meri bachi ke sath balatkar karne Vali dhi. Meine kuch nahi Socha. Ek chaku lekar usse bar bar Mara. phir mei apni bachi aur meri Patni ko Dusre shahar bheja. Vo amir ladka dha na. Mera khilaf case hua . Sare evidence mera khilaf dha. aur mujhe 14 sal jail vas ki Saja bhi mila.
He further continued
Sampark: mai yaham se release hone ka baad pahle usko dekhne jaunga. Vo Mujhe dekh kar bahut Khush honge. usne daud kar mera pas aunga aur gala lagenga. Vo ab Badi ho gaya hoga. Mujhe pechanaga kya. zaroor (he answered himself).Sandhya use meri kami mehsoos hone nahi diya hoga. Phir bhi vo Mujhe bahut pyaar karengi.
He had an affectionate smile on his lips describing it. Abhijeet looked at that smile and realised how hope matters in one's thought although this man is poor and illiterate he has something to hope. But what did he have . Only his death . His only hope.
Abhijeet was working in the jail canteen that day washing and cleaning the table and plates. Suddenly a glass fell from the person sitting in the adjoining table. He turned his gaze to find Acp Pradumnan there with Sachin and Nikhil. They had came there as the part of a case and were asked to wait in the jail canteen . That scene stunned Acp sir. How can he tolerate to see his son in such a condition. After a silence of one or two minutes Abhijeet went and took the glass.
Abhi: Sir please sambhalke karo . Aise sab apne hath se fisalna mat do. Ab is floor ko bhi hum saaf karne padega.
Acp sir went out in complete sadness and agony.
Sachin : Sir app theek tho hai na.
Abhijeet looked at him with smirk: Ek criminal ko aise sir bulana ke zaroorat nahi hai Sachin Sir. Aur theek hoga mai . ab kuch din Baki hai theek hone mai. App log bhi jaiye. Ap logom ke boss intezaar kar rahe hoga.
Nikhil: Sir Acp sir bhi dukhi hai apke is haal mai.
Abhi: Dekho mai sah sakta hum sab. Mujhe koi sympathy nahi chahiye. App log please jaiye.
He looked at them going and then resumed his work.
In that night he cried a lot . He said to his buddy.
Daya dekho na. Aaj Acp sir aya tha. Mujhe kuch nahi pucha. Mere Hal chal bhi nahi pucha. Mai bahut gussa hum sir se. Sir mera vishwas kyom nahi Karta hai Daya. Mai kuch nahi kiya hai kuch nahi. Tu bhi mera vishwas nahi Karta hai na. Mai janta hum. Isliye tum Mujhe arrest karwaya us din . Hai na.
He slowly went into those days.
Abhijeet opened his eyes with difficulty. An unknown surrounding for him. How have he came here. He cannot really remember. But he identified it as a small house. He searched his pockets. His mobile is missing. But his wallet is there with some money in it. A man came to him. An unfamiliar face.
Man: are Saab kuch chahiye hai kya.
Abhijeet : nodded no
Man: App Kal raat raste mai behosh dhi. Mai apko yaham laya. Susan van hai as pas. Kya koi janvar kho dekhkar behosh ho gaya hai kya.
Abhijeet: Ha shayad pata nahi.
A little girl came there and said: papa hum jayenga. Aaj school pahuchne mai Deri nahi hona chahiye.
Abhijeet smiled on her attires and Said : little angel app is vesh mai school Jata hai kya.
Man: Saab . Aaj November 14 hai na. Bachom ka din. School mai fancy dress ka competition hai. Isliye vo is angel ka vesh pahana hai.
Abhijeet: kya nov 14(he thought: three days have passed. And he is not aware of it . His last memory was that fight with his brother and then he went to beach. It was on November 10. Everything after it is blank in his memory.)he tried to wake up.
Man: App laita raho. Kuch chahiye tho mujhe bathao. App puri tarah theek nahi hua hai Abhi tak.
Abhi: mobile hai kya app ke pas.
Man: nahi vo hum call karne ke liye ek Std booth hai vaham jatha hai.
Abhi: App town mai Jata hai tho mujhe ek mobile kharid kar la sakta hai kya. Ek chotte mobile jisse call kar sakta hai. Ek sim bhi. Ye paisa lao.(he tells some money from the wallet and give him).
Man: Theek hai sab . Mai kuch der bath wapas aunga. Yaham koi or nahi Hai. App rest kijiye. Koi zaroorat hai tho as pas ek ghar hai. Vaham bathao.
Abhijeet nodded. Man returned with a mobile, sim and a newspaper. One of the headlines of the newspaper shocked Abhijeet to the core.
Cid ke senior Inspector Abhijeet ek admi par goli marne ka video xy news ko mila. Mila gaya soochana ke anusar vo aadmi ek undercover cop hai. Senior Inspector Abhijeet tab se gayab hai. Police unke thalash mai ha. Uspar CiD se info leak karne ka arop bhi hai.
The man too read the news and identified the photo.
Man: App yaham se jao please. Hum ikoi ise mamle pur shamil nahi karna chahta hai. Mai app ke bare me kisiko nahi bataunga. Meri beti aur mera khushi ko please mat cheeno. mei vinti Karta hum.
Abhijeet really sensed that fear
Abhijeet with difficulty stood up and went out with his phone.
He called Daya. In phone
Daya: hello
Abhi: Daya Mai Abhijeet hum.
Daya: Abhi tum Kaham ho. Tum theek ho na. Tume pata hai yaham kya kya ho raha hai.
Abhi: Mai akhabar pada Daya. Mujhe kuch maloom nahi hai Daya. Pichle teen din se mai Kaham dha . kya kiya. kuch nahi yaad hai Daya.
Daya: Saant ho Abhi . Tum ek Kaam karo. Yaham wapas aao. Hum milkar sab theek karunga.
Abhi: Nahi Daya. Is case IB ke hath mai hai. Vo mere bathom par vishwas nahi Karenga. Ek aur bar yadashad ghone ke Karan mujhpur mazaak udayega vo. Mai pure sach pata karke aunga. Ye mera nayi number hai . Keval tume pata hai. Kisiko mut Batana Acp sir ko bhi
Daya: yadi zaroorat hai tho mujhe call karna. Dhost nahi Bhai hai tumara.
Abhijeet: janta hum.
In that evening Abhijeet found a missed call in his number from Daya's secret number. He called him back.
Abhi: ha Daya
Daya: mujhe ek zaroori baat karni hai. Kya aaj raat tum Sundarpur ke forest area mai aa sakta hai to. Mai intezaar Karunga.
Abhi: zaroor aunga .
How can he mistrust his buddy. But what awaited him there was a handcuff. Dcp sir with Shreya was there.
Dcp: Shreya arrest karo Abhijeet ko.
Shreya: But sir.
Dcp: Mera order hai.
Shreya hand cuffed him.
Abhijeet turned to see Acp sir and Daya there. He was not able to trust that. Sitting in the police van he heard Dcp sir's reply to the media .
Dcp: Gooni chahe jitna bhi chatur ho Cid Mumbai se bachkar bhaag nahi kar sakte.( He said after looking ruefully to Abhijeet.) humare Senior Inspector Daya aur Inspector Shreya ne ek trap banaya aur machli us jaal mai aakar phas gaya.
He was not able to hear more. He looked at his buddy and father-figure continuously. Daya's down head irritated him a lot. Why didn't he say atleast to him that he had not made this trap. These one thought revolved around in his brain.
Kyom Daya Kyom kiya aise. Yathi tum chahe tho mai swayam tumare samne aakar ghada hotha dha na. Dhoka dena ki kya zaroorat dhi. Aaj bhi Itna sab Sahane ke baad bhi tumare vo dhoka mera dil ko choo raha hai. He left that matter there as he know that it will give him pain only.
As days passed this wait too annoyed him very much. Waiting for death is something very very disgusting. He was on the verge of death many times. It never frightened him . But this wait made him more vulnerable.
Two months passed. Then on a fine morning he returned from the mission. Today his expressions are stern. He has a determined eyes. Yes Daya is back not as senior Inspector Daya but as ASP Daya. The HQ on recommendation of the court has promoted Senior Inspector Daya as ASP Daya and Inspector Shreya as senior Inspector for their contribution in arresting and ensuring punishment of a brutal criminal named Abhijeet.(Asp is a post that I assumed for the sake of the story)
He walked towards bureau. That building resembled a graveyard. No not a graveyard. A graveyard too will have occasional sobbing and mourning sounds to give it life. But here there is no trace of human life. The officers who were already present their worked like robots. His arrival bought a smile on their faces which concealed their pain.
Everyone : congratulations sir
Daya: kyom
Sachin : apko promotion mila hai. Mission bhi successfully complete kiya hai.
Pankaj unintentionally out of habit: Sir party banega.
Everyone looked at him with an irritated glare. He realized the situation and corrected
Pankaj: vo Sir Mai
Daya: Pankaj hesitate mat karo. Party chahiye na. Kin kin cheezom ke party chahiye. Mera promotion ka ya phir Abhijeet ka phansi Milne ka
Freddy: sir hum
Daya: kya hua Abhijeet ka phasi m ilne ke party senior Inspector Shreya already diya hai kya
Shreya looked at him with tear filled eyes.
Acp sir: kya bakwaas kar rahe ho Daya.
Daya: sir Abhijeet ka phansi bhi meri jeet hai na. Usse arrest karna mere plan tha. Meine usse saza dilwaya. Tho jeet ke liye party dena hi hoga. Bus dimag se sochne ka prayaas kar raha hoon Sir.
Acp sir felt a storm of guilt forming inside him.
Acp: Daya tum andar aao. (To others)Baki sab Kaam karo.
Daya :( straightly)sir Mujhe chutti chahiye.
Acp: Daya tum.
Daya: Sir mujhe mat roko. Ab mera pas time nahi hai. Chinta karne ki koi baat bhi nahi hai. Media is case ko chod diya hai. Ab ye sensitive case nahi hai. Investigation bhi khatam hua. To mujhpur koi Nazar bhi nahi hai. Sir mei apne sare farz nifaya hai na . Ab mujhe apni zindhagi wapas pane dho.
Acp sir felt some hope hearing the determined tone.
Acp: theek hai Daya . Ye file lab mei dho. Uske baat tum niklo.
In the lab
Salunkhe sir: Daya tum char mahine ka mission dho mahine mei complete kiya hai kya.
Daya : kya hua mere ane se app Khush nahi hai kya.
Salunkhe sir: are Bhai mujhe kya problem hai.
Daya: Apke sapna Jo Pura nahi hua usse lekar
Salunkhe : kya sapna.
Daya: mera Bhai ka phasi.
Salunkhe sir: Daya tum
They were interrupted by another person at threshold.
Salunkhe: Arun beta tum
Arun: Vo Tarika ko Lene aya ho.
Tarika: App Niche intezaar karo. Mei aa raha hum.
Arun : theek hai.
Daya looked at Tarika with constant gaze which was enough to burn her .
Tarika: mai kya karoo Daya. Mei bahut koshish ki. Par maa baap apne decision par atal dha. Maa baap aaj tak meri sari Icha puri kiya hai. Abhijeet ko lekar bhi usko koyi problem Nahi dha. Parantu Abhijeet ko phasi ke saza mila tho vo darne Laga ki apne beti uska zindhagi Abhijeet ke yaadom par barbaad Karunga. Vo emotional torturing karne laga. (With a sigh)Mujhe us ke prati kuch farz banta hai na. Mujhe vivah karne pada Arun ko.
Daya: Hum sab apne apne farz nibhaya. Parantu us ke bare mai koi Nahi Socha . Sach ye hai ki usko koi apna nahi hai. Hum sab apne khushi ke liye uska istamaal kar raha dha.( He said in a low tone). Anyway your choice is good . Congrats
He went from there Tarika had a teary eyes.
He directly went to the jail to see him . To regain his energy back.
He sat on the bench waiting for him...
Wait is a tool used by time to test us. Those who endure it with patience will succeed.