The Present - Chapter 30

             Helloooooooooo!!! I ambback to trouble you all with my next chapter! Ab khola hai toh padna bhi padega! Chalo jaldi jaldi pado!!!

                            Chapter 30

            Abhijeet woke up from his sleep startled. He quickly reached out to his phone that was kept on the side table and unlocking it dialed to Dr. Salunkhe. His phone was answered after a half ring and from the other side a worried Dr. Salunkhe asked...

Salunkhe - Kya hua Abhijeet? Sab theek hai na? Raat ko sade teen pe phone kar rahe ho?

             Abhijeet glanced at the clock to see that it was indeed 3:34 am... He had not realised the time before. But however it didn't even matter to Abhijeet who had slept at 12:15! 3 hours and 19 minutes of sleep was more than enough for him to keep him going through whatever came his way the next 2 days. One that would be full of investigation and the other that would be full of arguments in the court. In the phone, he said,

Abhijeet - Sir apko Daya ki gadi mai se kuch mila?

Salunkhe - Ha mila toh hai. Par hua kya?

Abhijeet - Woh sab mai apko kal subah batata hu. App bas bataiye ki kya mila hai?

Salunkhe - Ek fingerprint mila hai. Gadi ke back door pe aur gadi ke andar bhi... Back seat pe.

Abhijeet - Kiske nishan hai? Records mai check kiye?

Salunkhe - Ha check kiya maine. Match bhi ho gaye. Par jiske bhi hai uski records mai koi details nahi hai. Siway iske ki uss admi ke fingerprints ek do baar aur mile hai random crime scenes pe. Unn crime scenes pe jaha Taipan gang involved hoti hai. Matlab yeh toh pata nahi ki woh hai kon par yeh zarur pata hai ki Taipan gang ka admi hai.

Abhijeet - Matlab usse pakde jane ka koi dar nahi tha... Daya ki gadi ko haat lagaya woh bhi bina gloves ke! (After a second) Aur kuch sir?

Salunkhe - Ha. Woh jo Daya ke haat pe chot ka nishan tha na...

Abhijeet - Ha sir?

Salunkhe - Woh ussi ki gadi se laga tha. Uski driving side ke door se. Woh bataya tha na ki uske ghav mai paint tha. Automotive paint!? Woh ussi ki gadi ka hai!

Abhijeet - Acha theek hai. Thank you sir! Subah milte hai!

Salunkhe - Aree par...

            But Abhijeet had already cut the call without waiting to listen to his questions and quickly dressing up he locked his house and drove off. Drove off to Rahul's house!

*Beauro, 6:30 am*

            Just like yesterday whole team along with Dr. Salunkhe and Tarika were waiting for him when Abhijeet entered inside. As soon as he came in Purvi came ahead saying...

Purvi - Sir woh Taipan gang ke ek adde ka pata chal gaya hai! Ek khabri ne bataya... Pata nahi iss waqt woh log waha hai ki nahi par kareeb do mahine pehle tak toh woh band factory unka adda tha! Woh Lokhandwala west ke...

Abhijeet - (completing for her) Sector 7 mai hai! Aur ab woh log waha nahi hai. Uske baad unka agla adda Virar mai tha.

Purvi - Apko kaise pata sir? Yeh khabr toh khabri ne abhi aadhe ghante pehle di thi! Aur apko aage ka bhi pata hai?

Abhijeet - Yaha se!

             Abhijeet said forwarding a pendrive to her who grabbed it and attached it to the laptop. While others gathered around she opened the contents of the pendrive and scrolled through all the information. Shocking all of them with the amount of important information about Abhay and Taipan gang that it held. Not being able to control his curiosity anymore Freddy turned to Abhijeet and asked...

Freddy - Sir yeh khajana apko mila kaha se?

Abhijeet - Rahul se!

Tarika - Matlab?

Abhijeet - Yaad hai Daya court aane se pehle akhri baar Rahul ko mila tha?

Pankaj - Ha sir... Woh Arya ki jaan ko bhi khathra tha isilye usse uska dhyan rakhne bola tha Daya sir ne...

Abhijeet - (in a small proud smile) Usne jo bhi kuch do din mai investigate kiya tha sab kuch iss pendrive mai daal diya tha. Aur pendrive ko Rahul ki gadi ke silencer ke niche niche chupa diya...

Salunkhe - Par usse chupane ki zarurat kya pad gayi?

Abhijeet - Kyuki woh janta tha ki hume uski gadi mai kuch nahi milega jab hum usse dekhege. Jaise ki hume nahi mila! Usse mere naam ki dhamki hi marine drives pe mili thi sir. Jaha woh Rahul se mila tha! Matlab usse pata chal gaya tha ki Abhay janta hai ki Daya uske bohot kareeb pohach chuka hai. Toh woh saboot apne saath kaise le jata. Obviously Abhay usse saboot ke saath court nahi pohachne deta! Isilye Daya ne sab information ek pen drive mai daalke Rahul ki gadi mai chupa di... Kyuki Rahul hi ek aisa insan tha jo usse mila bhi tha, court bhi jane wala tha wahin se aur uspe kisi ko shak bhi nahi hota! Rahul toh kudh nahi janta tha ki uski gadi mai Daya ne saboot chupaya hai. Ab bhi nahi janta... Mai toh parking mai se nikal laya yeh pendrive.

Salunkhe - Toh Daya ki gadi mai jo Taipan gang ke admi ke fingerprints mile the uska kya? Usne gayab kiye the Daya ki gadi se saboot? Par kab?

Abhijeet - Yaad hai sir Daya ko Nariman point se court aane mai aadhe ghante ki jagah 1 ghanta 10 minute lage the?

Pankaj - Ha sir!

Abhijeet - Woh isilye Freddy kyuki usse raste mai Abhay yaa uski gang ke log mile the... As he expected! Tabhi hi unhone uski gadi se woh saboot nikale the... Par unhe kya pata ki unki takkar kisse hai! (In a proud smile) Daya ne sab information toh pehle hi Rahul ki gadi mai chupa di thi! Hum 2 dino se ghum rahe hai aur jo bhi kuch hume pata karna tha Daya ne pehle hi humare liye dhund rakha hai! (After a second, indicating to a folder) Purvi woh folder kholna.

              Purvi opened the folder Abhijeet indicated to, to find a picture. The picture of Abhay's old marksheet that Daya had found in Malhotra Mansion. Shocked Purvi exclaimed...

Purvi - Sir yeh!

Salunkhe - Abhay Mr. Arun ka bhai hai! They share the same middle name and surname!

Abhijeet - Ha sir! Issi liye toh Daya IG ki warning ke baad bhi Malhotra Mansion gaya tha... Kyuki waha jaye bina iss sawal ka jawab milna possible nahi tha ki Abhay aur Mr. Arun ka rista kya hai!

Freddy - Woh note jo Insp. Rathore ne bataya tha... Jispe uss encounter ke agle din yeh likh kar bejha gaya tha ki 'Kaam hogaya' aur ab pata chalta hai ki Abhay Mr. Arun ka bhai hai! Yeh sab plan Abhay ka tha? Apne hi bhai aur bhabhi ko marwa diya usne? Aur saath hi saath apne hi gang ke logo ko bhi?

Abhijeet - Lagta toh aisa hi hai... Aur agar Mr. Arun ko marwane ke piche Abhay ka haat tha toh ajj bhi jo kuch ho raha hai woh bhi Abhay hi karwa raha hai! Ab bas usse dhundna hai! Baki sawalo ke jawab woh khud dega...

Freddy - Toh sir Vivar jake check kare? Apne kaha na woh unka latest adda tha!

Abhijeet - Ha tum aur Purvi jao... Waha check karo. Pankaj?

Pankaj - Sir?

Abhijeet - Tum Insp. Kamat se milo. Andheri police station mai. Iss waqt woh Taipan gang ke case pe kaam kar rahe hai. Dekho unke paas kya information hai. Tab tak mai Arthur road jail jaa kar aata hu. 1 saal pehle Abhay ka ek khaas aadmi arrest hua tha. Zara uska muh khulwata hu!

Salunkhe - Aur mai aur Tarika?

Abhijeet - Ha sir aap dono uss encounter ki forensic report study kijiye. Agar hum sahi soch rahe hai toh uss report mai humare kuch sawalo ka jawab hona chahiye! Koi toh galti ki hogi na Abhay ne!

Salunkhe - Theek hai!

           All left following their assigned tasks... Hoping that somehow they would be able to get hold of Abhay. They knew it was not easy. 30 years and no one ever could reach him... But then what no one could do... They had to. For their loved ones!

           The day passed amidst the same and they returned back to beauro at 8 in the evening, with leads to show them the way ahead but nothing that showed them that they were close to their destination.

Freddy - Nahi sir! Humare paas itna waqt nahi hai! Jo bhi kar sakte the sab kar liya par hum ab bhi Abhay se bohot dur hai! Ek din mai uske 4 adde raid kiye hai! 16 gang members pakad liye... Par Abhay kaha hai yeh koi nahi janta! Shehar mai hai bhi ki nahi hume toh yeh bhi nahi pata!

Purvi - Ha sir. Agar time hota toh hum uss tak pohach bhi pate! Par ab kya kare!? Kal hearing hai!

            Before Abhijeet could say anything, that would only be a removal of his frustration, Dr. Salunkhe and Tarika walked in the beauro and not allowing him to say anything Pankaj said impatiently...

Pankaj - Please sir... Bol dijiye aap kuch lead laye hai!

Salunkhe - Sorry zayada kuch nahi hai Pankaj. Bas ek chiz laya hu!

Freddy - Kya sir?

Salunkhe - Yehi ki uss encounter ke din, Mr. Arun ki gadi mai, Mr. Arun, Miss Gayatri aur Arya ke alawa bhi ek admi tha! Gadi mai ek aur admi ke fingerprints mile the! Jisse police kabhi nahi dhund payi. Koi nahi janta kon tha uss din gadi mai unn logo ke saath. Par koi tha zarur!

Pankaj - Woh admi hume sab kuch bata sakta hai! Ki uss din akhir hua kya tha! Woh inn sab ka jashmadid gawah hai! Woh shayad uss din ke alawa aur bhi bohot kuch janta hoga! Shayad Abhay ka sach?

Salunkhe - Par hume yehi toh pata nahi hai Pankaj ki woh tha kon! Din bhar maine aur Tarika ne sab kuch try kar liya par nahi pata chala woh kon tha! Na humare records mai, na hi case mai involved logo mai se koi! Jiske fingerprints humare paas nahi the uske fingerprints hum jake lekar aaye hai! Kitni mushkil se hume hi pata hai! (Making a face) Par koi fayeda nahi! No match found!

Freddy - Kaha kaha gaye aap log?

Tarika - Advocate Raghuveer ke office, Mr. Vinay se mile. Woh jo Prateek hai na... Usse mile ki uske paas koi chiz ho jispe se ACP sir ke khabri Vijay ji ke fingerprints mil sake... Sab kuch try kiya par koi match nahi mila!

Abhijeet - Kyuki aap log ek jagah gaye hi nahi!

Salunkhe - Kaha par Abhijeet? Sabse toh mil liya humne!

Abhijeet - Aap ACP sir ke ghar nahi gaye sir!

Salunkhe - Prayduman ke ghar? Par waha kya milega? Aur waha se kiske nishan lu?

Abhijeet - Dai maa ke sir!

Salunkhe - Par woh Mr. Arun ki gadi mai kaise ho sakti hai? Unhe toh Prayduman ne rakha tha na Arya ki dekh bhaal ke liye? Unka Mr. Arun se kya lena dena?

Abhijeet - Nahi sir... Hum ajj tak sach tak isilye nahi pohach paye kyuki hum galat insan se sach puch rahe the! Yaad hai Purvi jab tum Malhotra Mansion mai gayi thi Dai maa ka picha karte hue par Insp. Dev ne dekh liya tha?

Purvi - Ha sir! Humne unhe toh pucha hi nahi ki woh waha kya kar rahi thi! Uske baad yeh itna sab kuch ho gaya ki hum uss direction mai soch hi nahi paye!

Abhijeet - Yehi toh humari sabse badi galti thi! Ho na ho Dai maa sab kuch janti hai! Yaha tak ki woh bhi jo hum ajj tak ACP sir se puch rahe hai! Shayad unki bhi chuppi ki wajh wohi hai jo ACP sir ki! Arya ke naam ki dhamki!

Freddy- Toh ab kya kare sir?

Abhijeet - Ek akhiri kaam! (After a pause) Pankaj tum Tarika ke saath jao. Kisi tarike se Dai maa ke fingerprints lo aur unhe wahin gadi mai match karke dekho. Agar match ho gaye toh Dai maa ko lekar aao!

Pankaj - Yes sir!

Abhijeet - Aur Freddy tum aur Purvi. Arya ko kidnap karo!

Freddy - Kidnap?! Sir aap kya bol rahe hai!

Abhijeet - Ha Freddy aur koi rasta nahi hai! Arya ki safety ensure karna zaruri hai! Pichli baar jab Daya sach ke kareeb pohacha tha Abhay ne mujh par goli chalwayi thi! Ab agar hum sach ke kareeb pohachege toh woh chup nahi baithega! Kal court ki hearing hai! Akhiri hearing hai! Agar hum Abhay ko pesh nahi kar sakte toh kamse kam sach ko toh pesh karna hi hoga. Aur uske liye Dai maa ka bolna zaruri hai... Dai maa tab tak nahi bolegi jab tak unhe vishwas nahi ho jata ki Arya safe hai.

Salunkhe - Par Abhijeet agar hum Arya ko kidnap karege aur agar Dai maa ko sach pata nahi hua toh? Arya ko ab sirf 'sach' hi rok sakta hai! Agar humne usse kidnap kar liya! Aur kal hum sach sabit nahi kar paye toh woh bata nahi degi court ko ki humne usse kidnap kiya tha?

Abhijeet - Aur koi rasta nahi hai sir! Itna risk toh hume lena hi hoga!

Salunkhe - Hmm... Right!

Abhijeet - Toh chalo phir! Pankaj ,Tarika. Dai maa ko leke aao! Aur Freddy, Purvi Arya ko kidnap karo!

Purvi - Par sir Arya ko kidnap karege rakhege kaha? She won't be easy!

             Abhijeet thought for a moment and then said to Salunkhe sir...

Abhijeet - Sir ek behoshi ka injection ready kijiye! Usse kal subah ke pehle hosh nahi aana chahiye! (To Purvi) Usse hospital leke aana, behosh kareke, Daya ke ward mai! Aur Pankaj, tum bhi Dai maa ko hospital hi lana! Mai wahin intezar karuga tum logo ka...

Pankaj - Par hospital kyu sir?

Abhijeet - Kyuki mai Daya ke saath koi risk nahi lena chahta! Usko hospital mai hum akela nahi chod sakte security ke bharose. Humara kisi ka hona zaruri hai.

Purvi - Ok sir!

              The team was about to leave for respective works when Dr. Salunkhe interrupted...

Salunkhe - Ek minute!

Abhijeet - Kya hua sir?

Salunkhe - Tumhara kya?

Abhijeet - Mera kya?

Salunkhe - Agar tum bhul rahe ho toh yaad dila du woh court mai goli tum par chali thi! Daya ke liye hum sab hospital jaa rahe hai... Arya ko bhi wahin la rahe hai... Aur tum aaram se ghumte rahoge?

Abhijeet - (making a face) Sir mujhe kuch nahi...

Salunkhe - Bilkul nahi! Tumhe na ho toh mujhe ho jayega! Prayduman mera gala daba dega agar usse pata chala ki maine tumhe kudh ke saath itni laparwahi karne di hai toh! Freddy, Arya ko kidnap karne mai jauga Purvi ke saath! Tum apne Abhijeet sir ko sambhalo!

Abhijeet - Aree par!

Freddy - Ji sir! (to Abhijeet) Chaliye sir. Hospital chalte hai!

Abhijeet - Mai bachcha nahi hu! Chala jauga mai khud! (Stubbornly)

Salunkhe - Bachche nahi ho toh zid kyu kar rahe ho! Jao chup chap Freddy ke saath!

            Abhijeet shot Dr. Salunkhe a glare but when it made no effect on him he looked around for help from others. Obviously got none! So grumbling under his teeth he gave up and said...

Abhijeet- Chaliye Freddy ji! Mujhe hospital le chaliye!

*Hospital*

            Abhijeet entered the ward along with Freddy. He paused at the door for a minute to see Daya. He was seeing him after 2 long days. For the first it had so happened that Daya was in hospital and Abhijeet had not been around him. But he could not have helped it!

            He slowly walked ahead as Freddy watched him silently. Going near he observed Daya for a moment... Then spread a hand on his head ruffling his hair. Freddy came ahead to console him thinking that he would have turned sad but was shocked to find him smiling instead. Slowly Abhijeet sat down on the chair behind. Held Daya's hand in his own. And kept looking at Daya with all the love in the world. Without a single word leaving his lips... Having a silent conversation by speaking through heart and being heard by heart.

To be continued...

            Dekho friendship day hai toh chotu hi sahi but duo moment de diya! Ab no gussa on me! Chalo ab jaldi jaldi reviewwwww!