Maitree's house
Maitree is pinning the nameplate in front of house that reads 'Maitree Joshi' along with the address of the house.
As soon as she pinned the plate, newspaper was thrown by the seller to her house. Maitree thanks him and takes the newspaper.
The headline of the news reads 'It's my decision not to work after my marriage: Lavanya Rathore Raichand'
Maitree gives a sigh as she is entering the house.
She reads the article fully and smirks.
"Seems like the girl got stuck in a trap and she is even aware of it. Even Ananya was like this. Foolish girls!"
She moves to her secret underground room and locked the door. She switched on the AC.
Maitree takes a scissor from her bag and cuts the paper carefully. She sticked the cutout in her billboard.
Her billboard is also filled with the articles of the Raichand's interviews.
'By god's grace, we are in a position which everyone aims for: Anahita Raichand'
'God has given everything to our family but all I wanted is my father's recovery: Krithika Raichand'
'I cannot find anyone better than Armaan' says Riddhima Raichand, fiance' of Armaan Raichand.
Maitree laid a table near the billboard and keeps her laptop on it. She types some code fastly and it shows 8 videos ordered by time. Maitree downloaded all the eight of them. She also types a code to destruct the chip into ashes.
Maitree opens the video by the chronological order.
These are the videos she obtained by inserting a secret chip sized camera in Arjun's shirt.
Video 1: Arjun enters his house and goes to kitchen. He sings pop songs to himself and cooks Mushroom gravy.
Maitree aimlessly fast forwarded it.
Video 2: Arjun comes out of kitchen and goes to his bedroom. His bedroom looks untidy. He murmurs himself to clean it up. He starts cleaning his bedroom.
Maitree fast forwarded the video and completed it.
Video 3: Arjun's doorbell was knocked. Arjun moves faster to the door and he opens it.
[Maitree's interpretations are in italic]
Maitree slows the video and focusses on it. She couldn't see the person as the person and wondered why.
"Namaste ACP Sahab!" (Greetings, ACP sir.) says a manly voice.
Arjun greeted him back sternly sensing something is wrong. Maitree identifies the uncomfortableness from his tone.
"Sir, don't you remember me? I am Harshavardan. I got released from prison last week. That's why I came to meet you," says the person.
The tone got some intense.
"No, what are you doing, Harsh? Have you gone crazy? Put the guns down," says Arjun restlessly.
Arjun moves forward and probably Harsh is going backward. Maitree understood that there is a stairs between his Arjun and entrance door and Harsh is standing there and that's why she couldn't see him.
Harsh is pointing gun towards Arjun it seems and he tries to divert him by talking to overpower him.
"If you have investigated the case properly, the lives of four people wouldn't have got spoiled," Harsh's voice breaks.
Again Arjun moves and takes stairs. She could see the upper body of the person. He is wearing a black shirt.
"You're being crazy, Harsh. Keep your guns down. We'll talk..., " says Arjun.
"How can you think that I'd kill my wife who is going to have her daughter in 2 months?" says Harsh.
"Harsh, you shouldn't do this."
"No..."
The video ends.
Maitree gets freezed. She wonders if Arjun is dead and checks for news in Internet. Her network is poor. She checks in newspaper and couldn't find any such news.
"So Harsh is dead," says Maitree.
Maitree opened the third video.
Video 3: Arjun calls an Inspector and asks him to come to his house.
After this, Maitree couldn't see the video gets tangled and gets darkened.
She opened the other videos and the it was darkened.
Maitree says, "Probably Arjun changed his dress and put this in laundry. There is no chance that he would have noticed it. Otherwise it would have got destroyed by touch."
***
Centra Bureau of Investigation, Mumbai
Arjun - "What is this, Mr. Sahil Sharma? Okay, I was aware of the fact that Ananya's case was complicated. But this level of complexity? On the top of that, the case is dated very long back."
Mr. Sharma - "Yes, sir. I agree that this case is such a headache. But why did you take up another case to investigate?"
Arjun - "What can I do, Sahil? He came to my house and committed suicide in front of me and I couldn't help. And he is telling me that I didn't investigate the case properly. Didn't you investigate properly?"
Mr. Sharma - "Sir, he is just driven by his emotions and took this step. Don't take it seriously. Also, you were also not in a stable condition that time."
Arjun - "Don't go out of topic, Mr. Sharma."
Mr.Sharma - "I'm sorry, sir."
Arjun - "In fact you're right. I wasn't in a condition to perform my duty."
Mr. Sharma - "But, we didn't leave any loophole, sir."
Arjun - "There are loopholes and that's why he did such thing."
Mr. Sharma – "But sir, why did he come to your house and commit suicide? I investigated his case and did everything from the beginning to the end. And I was just updating you, sir. But instead of coming to my house, he came to your house."
Arjun – "Even I noted that point. I feel like we have to open the case."
Mr. Sharma - "But, what about Ananya's case, sir?"
Arjun - "Obviously, Ananya's case is my first priority."
Someone knocked the door saying, "May I come in, sir?"
Arjun says yes and looks into the documents.
The person entered inside and immediately Sahil gave a salute to him. Arjun looks upon. Arjun smiled.
Arjun - "Akshay..."
Akshay - "Yes bro, won't you welcome your friend by hug?"
Arjun - "No, I won't. I am not your friend."
Akshay smiles.
Akshay - "Achha bhai... won't you welcome your brother?"
Arjun - "This is perfection."
Arjun tightly hugged Akshay.
Akshay released the hug.
Akshay - "Before you start to enquire me about my presence, I'll like to tell you that I am assigned Ananya's case and we'd be working together."
Arjun - "Wow, that's great."
Akshay - "Another reason for my presence is, you have to see something that is hidden tactically."
Arjun - "What are you speaking about? What was hidden?"
Akshay - "Nothing was hidden. But maybe we're not noticing it."
Arjun - "Means?"
Akshay - "Brief me exactly what has happened yesterday."
Arjun took the daily magazine's page - Harshavardhan Rathod (Abeer Singh Goddwani), Ekansh Rawat (Samriddh Bawa) and Kalki Ranaut (Ankita Sharma).
Yesterday Night – 10.30 PM
Arjun opened the door as it was knocked. There is a stairs between Arjun and Harshavardhan and below the stairs Harshavardhan was standing.
Harshavardhan – "Namaste, ACP sahab."
Arjun – "Namaste."
Harshavardhan – "Sir, don't you remember me? I am Harshavardan. I got released from prison last week. That's why I came to meet you."
After telling the last sentence strongly, he immediately took a pistol which he had been hiding behind his shirt. Arjun got shocked. He pointed the gun towards Arjun.
Arjun - "No, what are you doing, Harsh? Have you gone crazy? Put the guns down."
Arjun moves slightly forward and Harshavardhan moves back.
Harshavardhan - "If you have investigated the case properly, the lives of four people wouldn't have got spoiled."
His voice breaks.
Arjun - "You're being crazy, Harsh. Keep your guns down. We'll talk... "
Harshavardhan - "How can you think that I'd kill my wife who is going to have a daughter in 2 months?"
Arjun moved again slightly and he is about to take stairs.
Arjun - "Harsh, you shouldn't do this."
Harshavardhan pointed the pistol at his head and shot himself.
Arjun – "No..."
Harshavardhan died on the spot.
Arjun informed the authorities regarding this. After forensic team completed their investigation and collected important evidences, Arjun called Mr. Sahil Sharma.
Mr. Sahil Sharma – "Yes sir."
Arjun – "Mr. Sharma, you were the one who investigated the case of Kalki's murder case, right? That happened two years back."
Mr. Sharma thought for a while – "Yes sir, I'm the one. You were also not unwell during that time. What happened, sir?"
Arjun – "The culprit of that case came to my house and committed suicide."
Mr. Sharma – "What?"
Arjun – "Yes, Mr. Sharma. I was also shocked. Could you bring the case files of Kalki's case within one hour."
Mr. Sharma – "Okay sir."
Arjun cuts the call.
Present
Akshay – "Stop it here, Arjun."
Arjun – "But there are more to say, Akshay."
Akshay – "I will hear that too. But at this point, I have to tell something."
Arjun looks on.
Akshay – "Mr. Sahil Sharma, now brief the overall background and case of Kalki."
Mr. Sharma – "Harshavardhan aka Harsh is a Software Engineer. Kalki is a doctor. Both of them are school friends and did a love marriage eloping from their home. Both their parents refused to accept them. So, they decided to stay alone in an apartment. Both of them earns really well. Ekansh is Kalki's batchmate and joined as doctor in Kalki's hospital. After his joining, Kalki's behavior has changed and starts being in a relationship with Ekansh. And one day, Kalki and Ekansh were spending time in Kalki's house. Harsh who came from work, saw this and got angry upon their affair and killed both of them. We found Harsh on the spot and arrested him."
Akshay – "Now let me the narrate the case of Ananya. Ten years back, a famous business tycoon Vaibhav Raichand's first wife Ananya Raichand was arrested for murdering twelve people in a row and was jailed. She was sentenced fifteen years of imprisonment. But before 6 months, on January 5th 2023, Ananya Raichand committed suicide by climbing the wall of the jail. So it was a typical suicide case. But the problem arises when Pallavi, the lady who attempted to murder Vaibhav's dad Prithivraj gave a statement that Ananya was murdered in the jail and Raichands did that. And a video was also released that on January 6th, 2023 where Ananya was having her breakfast and it was the last appearance of Ananya in the jail. If Ananya died on January 5th, how is she eating peacefully on January 6th? There are various other factors which makes the case more complex and confusing but this is the crux."
Akshay takes a long pause.
Akshay – "Sahil, give me the file of Ananya's case and Kalki's case."
Sahil handed both the files to Akshay.
Akshay opened the page where relatives of the suspects are present.
Akshay called Arjun and Sahil. He pointed out a single name that is common in both the files.
"Avantika Kashyap."
Arjun – "Avantika is Ananya's sister-in-law."
Akshay – "Avantika is also Kalki's cousin."
Arjun – "Are you telling that the cases are interconnected? Just by the common member."
Akshay – "No Arjun. There are a few more. Now, take me to Dr. Ankita Narang. I know you must have talked to her. But still there is some need."
Arjun – "She completed her night shift few hours back. So we shall go by evening."
Akshay – "Okay then."
***
Maitree's house
Maitree is moving around restlessly.
Maitree - "I never thought that this Harshavardhan is the one I'm looking for. This idiot has committed suicide and who the hell would bring justice to him. "
Maitree dials a number. The call is connected.
Maitree - "Hello Pragati. It's Maitree. I'm calling from my new number."
Pragati - "Yeah Maitree. I recognize you. How is your new home and your new neighbour?"
Maitree - "Stop speaking nonsense. I have to tell you something important."
Pragati - "Okay."
Maitree - "Harsh is dead."
Pragati - "What the hell? I mean how!"
Maitree - "He committed suicide in front of Arjun's house."
Pragati gets frustrated, "He is such an emotional fool. He is the only way through which we can accomplish your mission and my mission."
Maitree - "I don't know. Another disadvantage is that, what if they linked both Ananya and Kalki's case?"
Pragati - "It's not a disadvantage. It's good if that happens."
Maitree - "But not at this point, Pragati. It would backfire all my plans."
To be continued...
A/N: Kalki Rawat's case is inspired by an audio story which was left discontinued. I took up this case with the aim of completing it.