Powder And Corruption (Book 1)

#22

Nitya opened the door where Inspector Ghosh was there in the early morning.

He asked, " Is she good? "

Nitya nodded her head slightly.

In the dining room he had a conversation with her.

He asked, " Did he speak to you about the caller? "

" No. He just hung up the call and left the house. "

" When was the last time you called him? "

" It was around two at night. The call was not reachable. "

" Where is his room? "

He went to his bedroom where he got his eyes on a file which was kept on a side table of the bed. The file was kept under a paperweight. He removed the weight, picked up the file and opened. He was stunned to see CCTV image of Navya.

He turned the paper and there were photos of a couple Atharva and Ira.

Arjun took out two capsules of a pain killer from a bottle in the bureau. He went to Sakshi who was dialling a number from the office landline. The photos recovered by Arjun were kept on her table.

She dialled a number, the phone rang and was picked up by the caller. She didn't get the answered for a while. Arjun held the phone and kept it on the table. He pressed a key to activate the loudspeaker. He stepped back from her.

She asked, " Am I speaking to Mr. Punit Agarwal ? "

Punit sighed and replied, " Who's this? "

Punit Agarwal was the Zonal Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau of the city branch. He was in his early fifties with grey hair on his head.

Sakshi replied, " This is Sakshi Mehra from Special Vigilance Bureau. "

Arjun was too listening to the conversation as it was on the loudspeaker.

Punit said, " I am listening Mrs. Mehra. Proceed. "

Arjun came to the table, picked up a pen and encircled the face of THOMAS in the photo. She looked at the photo.

She asked, " Mr. Agarwal, one of our officer is investigating a homicide and he has got his hands on some evidence that assures that he might have some connection with THOMAS' drug cartel. "

Punit hung up the call. She looked at Arjun who was sitting on the window sill on her left. He left the sill, came to the table and redial the number.

Punit picked the phone, " Hello! "

Arjun said, " I am talking on behalf of my controller Sakshi Mehra. "

" I don't care who you are, just don't call me again. "

Punit hung up the call again. Arjun redial  the number again. Punit picked up the call.

Arjun said, " Listen to me Mr. Agarwal. "

" I don't want to. "

" You have to because if you hang up the call again we won't be talking over the phone next time. "

Punit sighed, " Only one thing I just want to say you is stay out of us. "

Punit hung up the call. Arjun sighed, put both his hands on table, closed his eyes and shook his head. He opened his eyes and looked at Sakshi.

He left the table and went to the window. Sakshi looked at him and left the table.

Mr. Nagar was seated in front of Punit in his branch. Punit smiled while looking at him.

He asked, " Where is she? She might be awake till now. "

Mr. Nagar chuckled, " Politics would be a good career for you I believe. "

Punit laughed a bit.

Inspector Ghosh drove his car to a crime scene where a number of people were gathered around a crime scene. He walked out of his car and entered the crime scene where a burnt car was parked with a burnt body inside.

He went near to the car and looked at the  half burnt face and realised he was Jayant. He looked around and his fellow cop Sub Inspector Ishan came to him.

Ishan told him, " An eye witness has came forward. He has seen the suspect who had used the phone booth to call Jayant. "

" Call him. "

Outside the crime scene, Ghosh talked to the witness who was a young man in his late twenties.

Ghosh asked, " What's your name? "

" Arpit. "

" So Arpit, have you clearly seen the suspect? "

" Not clearly but I had seen him in the booth. "

" Tell me clearly. "

LAST NIGHT:

Arpit was at the balcony of his hostel which was at first floor of the building. He was scrolling over his social media in his phone during the night. He looked at a brown car which stopped at the end of the street near a public phone booth.

A man stepped out of the car whose face couldn't be seen by Arpit since it was too dark at night. The man went inside the booth, dialled a number and talked for a while. He moved out of the booth a few minutes later, went to his car and sat inside.

PRESENT DAY:

Ghosh asked, " What then? "

" He was just there for some time as if he was waiting for someone. "

Ghosh replied, " Thank you buddy for your help. Will call you later if needed. "

" Sure sir. "

Ghosh came near to his car and dialled Arjun who picked up the call.

Ghosh said, " I believe you have heard the news. "

" I am standing next to his house. Haven't met his family yet. "

Arjun was standing before Jayant's house.

Ghosh asked, " Do they know about him? "

Arjun looked at the door of the house which was shut.

" I don't think so. "

" Don't know if I am right or not but I feel that your friend was too involved in the matter. "

" I can't understand. "

" I have recovered a file from his possession which indicates he was looking for the girl. "

" He might have been hired by someone for his investigation services. "

" Who is under the cloud for you? "

" I suspect the involvement of NCB in the entire scene. "

" Are you sure? We are talking about NCB? "

" I need to gather the inputs. Can you put a trusted colleague behind a suspect? "

" Inbox me the name. "