The Present - Chapter 28

           Heyo! Back on time. And thank you everyone for loving garma garam Abhi sir of the previous chapter. Here's more of him! Go on and read!

                             Chapter 28

            Before leaving for the forensic lab Abhijeet gave Pankaj Daya's another mobile number which he had used during the past two days. And told him to get the call details and to track the whole path that Daya followed during the 2 days time.

*Forensic lab*

            Abhijeet and Freddy came in through the door to find Dr. Salunkhe looking at something through the microscope and Dr. Tarika standing with a test tube in hand waiting as some light blue colored liquid boiled on the tripod stand in front of her. Without waiting for anything Abhijeet walked straight to Dr. Salunkhe and asked clearly indicating he had no time to waste...

Abhijeet - Ha sir kya pata chala?

Salunkhe - Ha Abhijeet... (Said salunkhe without even looking up from the microscope). Goli Rifle ki hai. 12.7x99 mm ki hai. Aur Barrett M82 se chali hai!

Freddy - Yeh wahi US made rifle hai kya sir?

Salunkhe - Ha... Wahi hai! One of the best sniper rifle ever made!

Abhijeet - Aur kuch sir?

Salunkhe - Ha! (Finally looking up from the microscope) Kareban 700 - 750 meter ke distance se goli chali thi. Aur angle 30 degrees.

Freddy - 700 - 750? (Shocked)

Salunkhe - Ha Freddy! Achi rifels ki range 1 km tak hoti hai. Jaise ki Barrett M82 ki. Aur ache sharp shooters itni dur se goli bilkul sahi nishane pe maar sakte hai! Jaise ki tumhare Abhijeet sir (winking).

             Abhijeet without paying any attention to the compliment that was just addressed to him turned towards Tarika asking...

Abhijeet - Ha Tarika... Pata chala woh Daya ke haat pe ghav kis chiz ka hai?

Tarika - Ha... Woh ghav kisi metal object ka hai!

Abhijeet - Koi chaku?

Tarika - Nahi nahi... Chaku ka nahi... Chaku ka ghav hota toh bilkul sidha hota. Par yeh ghav sidha nahi hai. Mano kisi metal surface ke corner pe haat itni baar ghisa ho ki usme se khoon hi nikalne lage.

Abhijeet - Hmm...

Tarika - Ek aur baat. Uss ghav mai mujhe paint ke kuch ansh mile hai!

Abhijeet - Paint?

Tarika - Ha. Automotive paint. Jisse gadiya paint hoti hai!

Abhijeet - Par usse yeh chot lagi kaise hogi?

            Abhijeet asked himself and not knowing the answer the other three remained quiet. Snapping out of his thoughts Abhijeet asked looking at both the forensic doctors...

Abhijeet - Aur kuch?

Salunkhe - Filhal toh nahi. Kuch pata chale toh batate hai.

               And nodding his head in yes Abhijeet and Freddy headed back to beauro where Veer was already gone and Purvi informed Abhijeet that Veer's phone was indeed hacked in such a way that it couldn't be traced. Sighing Abhijeet stayed silent for a moment and then ordered again...

Abhijeet - Freddy, Purvi... Tum log court ke aas paas ka area dekho. Dekho aisi konsi jagah, konsi building hai jo 700 se 800 meter ki duri par ho uss court room se jaha par humari hearing chal rahi thi aur jaha se 30° ke angle se woh courtroom ki woh window jaha se goli aayi thi clear dikhta ho!

Freddy - Yes sir.

             Both immediately left to fulfill the order given by Abhijeet and now Abhijeet turned to Pankaj who had just arrived shuffling the pages in his hand...

Pankaj - Sir Daya sir ke woh dusre number ke call details aur woh kaha kaha gaye the pata chal gaya sir!

Abhijeet - Theek hai. (Grabbing the papers forwarded by him) Mai yeh dekh lunga. Tab tak tum humare sare khabriyo ko kaam pe lagao. Daya ko jo goli lagi woh Barrett M82 se chali thi. Aur woh kisi ko bhi asani se nahi mil sakti! Black market mai bhi nahi! Iski toh smuggling bhi aasan nahi hai. Aur gun mehangi bhi bohot hai... Koi aam sa contract killer yaa gunda isse afford nahi kar sakta. Yeh koi bohot bada admi hai. Aur na hi koi normal shooter isse operate kar sakta hai. 700 - 750 meter ki duri se itna accurate nishana lagana koi choti baat nahi hai. Yeh koi trained admi hai! Kabhriyo se bolo ki sirf ajj raat ka waqt hai unke paas. Aur local police kaho ki raid mare jaha bhi shak ho. Kal subah tak mujhe woh admi chahiye jo yeh gun smuggle yaa supply karta hai!

Pankaj - Sir!

             As Pankaj left to do as told... Abhijeet walked upto the centre table in the beauro. The lights of the beauro were already on dim and hence switching on the table lamp Abhijeet spread out the papers that Pankaj handed him few minutes ago. He leaned on the table observing the route Daya had followed in the past two days. After keenly observing all, he went to the drawers of the side cabinet and took out a map of the city, a blank paper and a marker. Side by side he also observed Daya's phone records. Making notes and trying to understand what Daya was exactly planning to do. After an hour of examination under the table lamp he rubbed his tired eyes and grabbing all the scattered papers on the table switched off the lights and then left the beauro telling the watchman to lock it as he had already sent the message to Freddy, Purvi and Pankaj to go home for the day after they were done with the assigned task and report to beauro early at 7 tomorrow morning.
             By the time he settled in his car it was about 11 pm and as he made his way through the half empty roads of the city he was lost in his thoughts...

Abhijeet - (thinking) Daya uss din mere ghar se nikal kar sidha beach gaya tha... Aisi kya zarurat pad gayi usse ki woh aadhi raat ko beach gaya aur waha par puri raat ruka?!

                In his thoughts he had reached the beach where Daya had come two days ago and met Puneet. He came out of the car and looking at the silent beach took in a couple of breaths to calm himself down. And shook his head to clear out all the memories attached to this place as they started rushing to him almost instantly at the site of waves of the ocean. He then started looking around and inquired about Daya to whoever he could find at this moment of the day... Cause Daya came here that day almost at this time only. In fact only a little later at night. So the shops or stalls Daya would have found open at that late hour would definitely be open at the moment.
                He first walked up to the chaat stall and asked the chaat wala if he had seen Daya on the beach two days ago in the night around 12. The man replied negative saying he didn't put his stall two days ago as he was unwell. Abhijeet then moved to the fresh coconut water seller who again replied negative. Then he moved to the ice cream vendor who already knew him and Daya cause they were one of the regular customers to buy an ice cream whenever they came here on the beach. It was almost a ritual for them to have one whenever they came together and they bought it from this vendor only. But even he said that Daya did not come to the beach that day atleast till 11:30. But he didn't know about it if he came later as Abhijeet already knew that he used to keep his stall open only till 11:30. Nodding his head in a understanding 'yes'. Abhijeet now came back on the main road that ran parallel to the beach. He crossed the road and enquiried on the shops present there. Atlast he reached Puneet's shop that he didn't know belonged to Puneet.
                In front of the stall again only the young boy, who had delivered the tea cup with ACP sir's message to Daya, was present moving the spoon in the pot wherein some aromatic ginger tea was boling. He asked Abhijeet...

Boy - Chai du sahab?

Abhijeet - Nahi... Yeh photo dekho (showing him Daya's picture in his phone) yeh yaha par do din pehle aaya tha. Kareeb raat ke 12 baje. Dekha tha isse?

              Boy was shocked to see Daya's picture but maintained his composure as he was told by his father, Puneet who was instructed the same by ACP sir so the criminals don't get Daya's information, that 'koi bhi agar Daya ke bare mai puche toh batana mat!' But unfortunately not knowing that the man in front of him is the biggest well-wisher of Daya, the boy nodded his in a small no and got back to his work.
              Abhijeet on the other side had a feeling that the boy was lying but then seeing the teenage boy he couldn't think of a reason why he would be lie and hence nodding his head he left to inquire on the other shops. To again be disappointed as almost all shops would be closed by 12 and no one was really present over there to see Daya. 20 minutes later. Abhijeet sat back in his car and switched on the top light of the car. He unlocked his phone to call Mr. Vinay as Daya, from this very place had called him that day.
              But as he unlocked his phone he saw Daya's picture that was still on his screen. He stared at it for few seconds and then finally pressed back button. Only to be back in camera roll that was again full of Daya's pictures as he had more pictures of Daya in his phone than he had of himself... Cause whenever he asked Daya, 'Tumhare phone mai picture kyu nahi lete!' the answer he received was, 'Tumhe meri pictures lene mai problem kya hai?' and then he would argue, 'But tumhare phone ka camera mere phone se acha hai!' and the reply he would receive would be, 'Ha toh? Mujhe tumhare phone mai chahiye na meri pics!'. Then a confused Abhijeet would again try, 'Aree par kyu? Aur tum mangte bhi nahi ho pics baad mai mujhse! Toh kichwate kyu ho?' and then with a cute baby face a reply would come, 'Kyuki meri pics tumhare phone mai zayada achi dikhti hai!' After that Abhijeet would nod his head in a no at his illogical brother and click innumerable pictures of his kiddo that Daya would completely forget about afterwards. And even though Abhijeet could have deleted them without Daya ever knowing, he never did so. Even when his phone gave a notification of 'memory full', he would delete his own pictures but not Daya's. He spread a hand on his screen to try feeling Daya in it but ended up pressing the home button and sighing he fought back the emotions griping him and opened the phone to call Mr. Vinay. As the call was received he asked...

Abhijeet - Vinay ji Daya ne apko 18 June ki raat ko call kiya tha? Matlab technically 19 June ko?

Vinay - Ji kiya tha...

Abhijeet - Kyu?

Vinay - Woh unhe ek admi ke bare mai puchna tha.

Abhijeet - Konsa admi?

Vinay - Pata nahi. Unhone mujhe ek picture bejhi thi. Arun aur Gayatri ki. Usme unke saath ek admi aur tha. Woh janna chahte the ki woh hai kon. Par mai usse nahi janta tha. Toh unhe maine yehi kaha tha.

Abhijeet - Woh picture hai apke paas?

Vinay - Nahi...

Abhijeet - Par Daya ne apko woh picture bejhi thi na! Toh apke phone mai honi chahiye?

Vinay - Ha bejhi toh thi par baadme unhone woh picture wala message hi delete kar diya tha. Shayad woh nahi chahte the ki woh picture mere paas rahe.

Abhijeet - Hmm... Acha apko yaad uss admi ki shakal yaad hai? Matlab apne jo bhi photo mai dekhi thi?

Vinay - Ha...

Abhijeet - Theek hai. App kal subah beauro aakar uska sketch banawa dijiyega.

Vinay - Ji theek hai.

Abhijeet - Thank you.

            And as the phone disconnected Abhijeet called Advocate Raghuveer. To find out that Daya had called him for the same reason. Abhijeet wondered how did Daya get that picture... From where and who exactly was this important man related to the case he didn't know nothing about. Next he picked up Daya's call records again and checked out the numbers Daya had called after this. There were almost 16 of them. All cops... Either from CBI, police, Crime Branch or any other department. Abhijeet called some of them and enquired about the conversation they had with Daya. All of them telling him the very same thing. That Daya asked them about the Taipan gang. The case that they had once worked on. Abhijeet was first confused as to why did Daya suddenly shift his focus to Taipan gang but was quick enough to remember that it was this gang that ACP sir was working on and had gone to catch in the encounter where Mr. Arun and Miss Gayatri were killed. This cleared a lot of things. It told Abhijeet about the direction he had to work in. If Daya had concentrated so much into this one gang it was definitely related or say the reason behind all what was happening.
            Abhijeet now drove back home. But not to rest or eat but only because he needed a better place to investigate from. The rest of his night was spent researching on this gang Taipan.

*Next morning, 6:45 am, CID beauro*

             Abhijeet walked in with a file and few papers in his hand. Only to find all three of them Freddy, Purvi and Pankaj waiting for him on their desks along with Dr. Salunkhe and Tarika also sitting around the round table. For the first time since yesterday his voice turned soft and he asked...

Abhijeet - Jaldi aa gaye tum log?

Purvi - App bhi toh jaldi aaye hai sir!

Abhijeet - Ab... Ha woh... Neend jaldi khul gayi...

            He lied only to be caught red handed...

Salunkhe - Yaha sab jante hai Abhijeet ki tum raat bhar soye nahi ho. Aur iss baar toh hum tumahari complain bhi nahi kar sakte kisi ko. Kyuki sirf jin do logo ki tum sunte ho woh yaha hai nahi!

            The softness that was a temporary guest on Abhijeet's face left as soon as he heard 'woh yaha hai nahi' and instantly cursing himself for the blunder Dr. Salunkhe added raising up from his seat and patting Abhijeet's back...

Salunkhe - Par jitna kaam tum kar rahe ho aur sabse karwa bhi rahe ho jald hi woh dono ko wapis aana hi padega.

            Looking down at the floor Abhijeet murmured...

Abhijeet - Unhe wapis aana hi padega sir... Aana hi padega. Iss tarah mujhe chodkar jane nahi dunga mai unhe...

             In reply he received another loving pat on his shoulder and gaining some energy from it he asked...

Abhijeet - Par aap dono yaha? Kuch naya pata chala kya?

Salunkhe - Nahi... Humne phirse sab check kiya par kuch naya mila nahi...

Abhijeet - Toh phir?

Salunkhe - Tumhari help karne aaye hai!

Abhijeet - Matlab?

Salunkhe - Matlab yeh ki itne saalo se tum logo ko kaam karte dekh rahe hai. Thodi bohot investigation toh kar hi lenge. Thoda kaam tez hoga. Bas isilye aaye hai huzur. (Bowing down dramatically) Apse orders lene ki aage kya karna hai!

            A small soothing smile was finally able to curve Abhijeet's lips. And to keep it there Tarika added...

Tarika - Salunkhe sir ko order dene ka chance mil raha hai Abhijeet. Chodna mat. Phir pata nahi mile yaa na mile!

Salunkhe - (shocked) Tarikaaaa?

            Nodding his head in a smiley 'no' at his team's efforts to make him feel better he moved to his desk and kept the file and papers he was holding there when Salunkhe sir asked him...

Salunkhe - Ha toh Abhijeet batao... Raat bhar jaag ke kya kya pata karke aaye ho?

             Abhijeet's smile was instantly transformed into seriousness of work and he said...

Abhijeet - Pata yeh chala hai ki Daya achanak se Taipan gang ke piche pad gaya tha. Yeh wahi gang hai jiska encounter karne ACP sir gaye the jab Mr. Arun aur Miss Gayatri mare gaye. Maine iss gang aur iske leader Abhay ke bare mai information nikali hai aur mujhe lagta hai ki yehi woh link hai iss case ki jo ajj tak missing thi. Ab mujhe shak hai ki shayad Mr. Arun yaa Miss Gayatri ka iss Abhay se kuch toh relation hai. Jis wajh se yeh sab kuch hua hai. Maine koshish ki pata karne ki par kuch mila nahi. Par kuch hai zarur tabhi Daya ne itna waqt iss gang par lagaya hai. Aur hume wahi pata karna hai.

            After a moment he said to Purvi as he picked up the file he brought with himself from his desk...

Abhijeet - Yeh file mai Abhay ki photo hai. Jo mujhe police records se mili hai. Aging software use karke dekho ki yeh Abhay 25 saal pehle kaisa dikhta tha. 10 baje tak Mr. Vinay aayege. Daya ne unhe aur Advocate Raghuveer ko ek ek picture bejhi thi jisme Mr. Arun aur Miss Gayatri ke saath ek admi aur tha. Agar mai sahi soch raha hu toh yeh admi Abhay hi tha. Unhe woh photo dikha kar puchna ki yeh wahi hai kya jiski bare mai Daya puch raha tha.

Purvi - Yes sir.

Abhijeet - Pankaj?

Pankaj - Sir!

Abhijeet - Pata chala woh rifle kisne bechi thi?

Pankaj - Ha sir. Kabhri aur local police ki madat se pakda gaya sir woh. Interrogation room mai hai!

Abhijeet - Kuch bataya?

Pankaj - Nahi sir...

Abhijeet - Theek hai. Uski kathirdari mai karuga. (Turning to Freddy) Ha Freddy... Tumhe aur Purvi ko kya pata chala? Mili woh jagah jaha se goli chali thi?

Freddy - Ha sir pata chala.

Abhijeet - Ha toh konsi jagah hai? Aas paas pucha? Kisine toh dekha hoga na uss admi ko jab woh rifle ka suitcase leke jaa raha hoga?

Freddy - Sir mai nahi batauga apko!

            All faces with a big question mark over them turned towards Freddy while Abhijeet looked at him in half shock and half anger. To which Freddy added, unaffected by either of the two...

Freddy - Jab tak app yeh breakfast nahi kar lete...

            All faces now turned into smiles as Freddy forwards a tiffin towards Abhijeet. So yes there was still someone present who could dare deny an angry Abhijeet... The one who had no fear when it came to love and care. Abhijeet although knew he this is one thing and one person who he would not succeed against, tried...

Abhijeet - Freddy yeh mai baad mai kar lunga na...

Freddy - Theek hai sir. Toh mai apko kya pata chala yeh bhi baad mai batauga. Aur Purvi yaad rakhna agar tumne bhi kuch bataya hai toh!

             Purvi who was half hidden behind her laptop nodded her head in a yes with a small smile still dancing on her face.
             Sighing Abhijeet accepted the tiffin from his hand knowing he was not going to win this argument. He sat on his desk not caring to go to cafeteria as he didn't want to waste a single minute. While he opened the tiffin Freddy poured him a cup of hot tea from the thermos he brought with himself. Abhijeet threw him a glance as Freddy placed the cup of tea with a stubborn expression. Taking a bite of pickle and his favourite aalo paratha Abhijeet was just about to keep it in his mouth when he stopped in between and said slowly still staring at the bite in his hand...

Abhijeet - Koi... Hospital phone karke pucho na... Daya kaisa hai?

             And to answer his barely understood question Tarika came forward and said...

Tarika - Woh theek hai... Matlab condition mai na koi decline hai na koi improvement.

            Abhijeet looked up at her and she answered his unuttered question...

Tarika - Mai raat bhar hospital mai thi. Subah doctor se milkar aa rahi hu...

            Abhijeet continued looking at her with a silent 'thank you' in his eyes to which Tarika only smiled.
            Abhijeet now finally kept the bite in his mouth and said after taking in two more morsels he pleaded to Freddy with...

Abhijeet - Ab kha liya na... Ab toh...

Freddy - Jab tak app pura tiffin khali nahi karte mai nahi batauga kuch! Aur waise bhi yeh parate apke liye apki bhabhiji ne banaye hai. Agar mai isse wapis leke gaya na toh woh apse naraz ho jayegi.

              Having no other option Abhijeet now quickly emptied the tiffin and then looked at Freddy with eyes saying 'ab toh batao!' While this time Freddy obliged with...

Freddy - Sir woh goli court ke left side mai jo under construction building hai waha se chali thi. Building ke terrace se. Waha par goli ka shell bhi mila hai.

Salunkhe - Aur maine woh check kar liya hai woh ussi goli ka shell hai jo Daya ko lagi thi.

Abhijeet - Hmm... Aas paas pucha? Kisi ne dekha tha uss sniper ko uss building mai jate hue?

Freddy - Ha sir pucha. Court ke bahar jo photocopy ki dukan hai usne dekha tha sir ek admi ko building mai jate hue. Par uska chehra nahi dekha usne dhayan se. Isilye woh uska sketch nahi banwa sakta.

Abhijeet - Chehra nahi toh koi aur khaas chiz? Jisse usse dhundne mai aasani ho?

Freddy - Nahi sir. Usse aisa kuch yaad nahi hai!

Abhijeet - Theek hai. Ab uss sniper ke bare mai yeh arms dealer hi batayega. Mai usko dekhta hu. Aao Pankaj...

              Pankaj followed Abhijeet in as others got to their work Abhijeet left to interrogate thee arms dealer. After 1 hour... That was a great amount of time seeing the mood Abhijeet was in the arms dealer finally opened his mouth. To reveal that he had supplied that gun and many other similarly dangerous and deadly weapons to Taipan gang. But beyond this he knew nothing. Although he was one of their regular supplier of arms he had never seen any of the gangs members. He used to be told whatever they wanted along with the address where to deliver and he used to do as told. The address of delivery used to be different every time. The money for the deal was always found by his men at the place of delivery and the order of arms used to be placed by a private number. So no chance anywhere!

              Abhijeet came out of the interrogation room frustrated and said...

Abhijeet - Freddy Insp Rathore ko bulao. 19 June ki subah Daya unke ghar gaya tha. Kuch important baat hogi tabhi gaya tha. Unhe beauro aane ko kaho.

Freddy - Sir!

              Soon Mr. Vinay walked in and Abhijeet told Purvi to show him the picture of Abhay aged 25 years less to recognise. Vinay recognised him almost instantly and thanking him Purvi sent him off and said to Abhijeet...

Purvi - Apka shak sahi nikla sir! Daya sir ne jis admi ki photo Mr. Vinay ko bejhi thi woh Abhay hi hai.

Abhijeet - Ab toh mujhe pura yakeen hai ki yeh sab Abhay ka hi kiya hua hai! Bas ab yeh pata chal jaye ki Abhay aur Mr. Arun ka kya relation hai toh yeh bhi pata chal jayega ki usne yeh sab kiya kyu hai!

*1 hour later*

               Insp Rathore came settled on chair offered to him by Pankaj and Abhijeet who was busy studying their progress till now got up from his seat and first turned to Freddy...

Abhijeet - Raghu kaha hai?

Freddy - Aa raha hai sir. Thodi der mai aa jayega.

              Nodding 'ok' Abhijeet moved to Insp Rathore and asked taking a chair in front of him...

Abhijeet - 19th June ko Daya apse milne aaya tha?

Rathore - Ha woh subah aaya tha...

Abhijeet - Kyu mila tha?

Rathore - Woh Taipan gang ke bare mai puch raha tha. Ki mai uss gang ke bare mai kya kya janta hu. ACP sir ke saath mai bhi tha na uss case pe.

Abhijeet - Toh apne kya bataya?

Rathore - Yehi ki jo kuch bhi case files mai hai uske aage mai kuch nahi janta!

Abhijeet - Aur kuch nahi?

Rathore - Ha woh maine usse ek chit di thi. Jo ki 27 saal se mere pass thi. Uss encounter ke agle din mere ek khabri ko uss gang ke ek admi se mili thi. Par phir encounter mai jo bhi hua uske baad woh matter baju mai hi reh gaya. Jis officer ko woh case transfer hua tha woh interested nahi tha uss information mai aur ACP sir ko maine bataya nahi!

Abhijeet - Kya tha uss chit mai?

Rathore - Pata nahi kuch code tha...

Abhijeet - Uske piche ka matlab hum crack kar lenge... App bas code yaad kijiye ki tha kya?

Rathore - Woh... Woh... Imprint... Uske baad kuch number tha... 21 nahi... 29 10. Ha Imprint 29 10. Yehi tha.

            Abhijeet forwarded him a paper and Insp Rathore wrote the code on it. In the same way like it was written on that chit. Abhijeet thanked him and then he left. Handing over the chit to Freddy Abhijeet ordered...

Abhijeet - 3 ghante mai mujhe yeh code cracked chahiye!

             Nodding his head Freddy grabbed the chit from his hand and sat at the center table along with Pankaj, Purvi, Salunkhe and Tarika. Trying all possible ways to crack the code. When remembering something Salunkhe sir said...

Salunkhe - Abhijeet...

Abhijeet - Ha sir?

Salunkhe - Woh Veer se baat hui abhi meri. Woh bol raha tha ki 2 din baad ki date hai. Hearing complete toh hui nahi thi na... Woh goli chalne ki wajh se... Toh wahi hearing continue hogi. 23rd June ko.

Abhijeet - (sighing) Matlab 2 din hai humare paas ACP sir ko begunah prove karne ke liye! 2 din mai iss Abhay ki pakadna hoga! Jisse pichle 30 saalo se koi nahi pakad paya!

             Interrupting him his phone rang. Pulling it out Abhijeet saw 'IG Shrikant' flashing on the screen. And he murmured gritting his teeth...

Abhijeet - Soch hi raha tha ki ab tak inka phone aaya kyu nahi!

               And mouthing a 'aata hu' he left the beauro already getting the stairs as he picked up the call and attached it to his ear...

To be continued...

               Ab kyu bulaya hoga hai IG Shrikant ne Abhi sir ko? Kya lagta hai? Aur kya hoga jab gusse mai Abhi sir IG ko milege? Fireworks guaranteed! Aur duo and team moment kaise the?