Chapter 3 - Sun Ne Walo Suno Aisa Bhi Hota Hai Matured

Present Day.

Riddhima and Angad walk out of Sunita’s parents’ house. Both of them are disturbed.

Riddhima: I can’t believe this. Koi itna kamina kaise ho sakta hai.
Angad: I know.

He looks at her.

Angad: Do you think ke Kalash ne Priya ke wajay se suicide kiya hai?
Riddhima: Agar kiya hai to aur koi reason nahi hai. Warna Kalash jaise admi ko kisi aur chiz se koi fark nahi parta. Lakin…
Angad: Lakin kya?
Riddhima: Hume kisiko school bhej ke ye pata karna hoga ke aisi chize waha pe common hai ya nahi. Kyuki mere hisab se school ke direct bahar aise ladki chherne ki himmat koi nahi karega.
Angad: Aise log koi mauka nahi chhorte.
Riddhima: Woh mujhe pata hai. Lakin phir bhi pata nahi kyu I feel ke kuch gadbad hai yaha.

Angad says dismissively.

Angad: Tumhe lagta hai ki us admi ko Anjaan ne bheja tha?
Riddhima: I don’t know. Lakin itna pata hai ki we have to look into this. Agar ye suicide hai to hume iske reason ko bhi acche se investigate karna hoga.

#

Dhruv enters the café and heads towards the counter where he sees Kajal talking to Chandni. Kajal is sitting on one of the stools that is placed outside the counter. Dhruv sits in another one beside her. Chandni is on the other side. The café is filled with customers by now.

Dhruv: Hey. Tum logo ne suna?
Chandni: Ha. Kalash Juneja is dead.
Kajal: Dhruv bhaiya ab case ka kya hoga?
Dhruv: Aur kya hoga? Dismissed ho jayega.
Kajal: Matlab… mujhe insaaf nahi milega.

Kabir comes out of the kitchen at this point of conversation.

Kabir: Us kamine ko uske kiye ki saza mil chuki hai. Jo usne tere saath kiya uske liye isse bari saza nahi ho sakti thi.
Kajal: Lakin ye to sabit nahi hua na ke usne mere saath...

She couldn’t finish the sentence. Chandni holds her hand to console her.

Dhruv: Kajal, woh zinda bhi raheta to kya hota? Hum to case haar hi rahe the. Saare witnesses ko is admi ne ya to kharid liya tha ya darake rakha tha. Is tarike se kam se kam use saza to mili.
Kajal: Lakin meri sachhayi to sabit nahi hui na.
Chandni: Kajal, puri duniya jaanti thi ke Kalash Juneja ne tumhare saath kya kiya. Dhruv ke paas sirf sabut nahi tha is baat ko adalat me sabit karne liye. That’s it.
Kajal: Koi fark nahi parta. Duniya ke samne main to har gayi.

Kabir, Chandni and Dhruv share a look. Kabir casts a worried glance at his watch. It is almost 11 am. What the hell is taking so long.

Kabir: Don’t worry. Police zarur is baat ki tahetkikat kar rahi hogi. I am sure they will find something.

Kajal smiles with disdain.

Kajal: Aapko lagta hai ki agar police ko kuch milega to woh dabayenge nahi. Jaise baaki sare sabuto ko dabaya tha.

Lily has been making coffee for Kajal in the coffee machine which is placed on the shelf behind the counter. She brings the coffee to Kajal once it is done.

Lily: Ye lo tumhari coffee.
Kajal: Thank you Lily.

Lily looks at Kabir inquiringly. Kabir gestures subtly, indicating permission to proceed. But as Lily nods and starts to move towards the kitchen door, he signals her to stop suddenly. She looks at him and sees him looking at the television screen. She turns to the television and sees the news of Kalash Juneja’s death is being broadcast. Everyone’s attention is at the tv.

The reporter says…

Reporter: Kal raat Juneja Mills ke owner Mr. Kalash Juneja ne apne hi ghar me suicide karli.

The term “Suicide” catches Kajal by surprise.

Kajal: Suicide?

The reporter continues.

Reporter: Mr. Juneja pichle kuch dino se apne court case ko leke surkhio me the. Unke company ke ek employ Kajal Aggarwal ne unke upar balatkar ka arop lagaya tha. Pichle 1.5 mahine se court me case chal raha tha. Hala ki case ke progress se yehi lag raha tha ke Mr. Juneja case jitne wale hai. Aisi paristhiti me unka khud ki jaan le lena sach me ek chauka dene wali baat hai.

Everyone’s eyes are glued to the tv scree as the reporter shares further information.

Reporter: Mr. Juneja ne khud ki jaan kaise li ye to abhi tak police ne humse share nahi kiya hai. Lakin kal raat ko apni jaan dene se pahele Mr. Juneja ne humare saath apna ek video share kiya hai. Jaha unhone apni jaan lene ka faisla kyu liya ye hume batate hai. Unka ye digital suicide note ab hum aap logo ko dikhane ja rahe hai.

Everyone is looking at the screen holding their breath.

The reporter vanishes from the screen and Kalash Juneja appears in front of the audience. The picture is vertical, making it obvious that it is shot in a phone. It looks like Kalash Juneja is sitting on his bed and holding the phone in his hands. He looks anxious and scared. He takes a deep breath and starts talking.

“Mera naam Kalash Juneja hai. Main Juneja Mills ka owner hu. Jaisa ki bohot log jaante hai is waqt mere khilf court me ek case chal raha hai. Mere company ek employ Kajal ne mujh par ye ilzam lagaya hai ki maine uska… balatkar kiya hai. Main abhi aap logo se ye kahena chahta hu ke ye… bilkul sach hai. Maine…. uska balatkar kiya HAI.”

Kajal closes her eyes and tries to control herself from breaking down completely. But the tears in her eyes doesn’t obey her. They start flowing slowly. Chandni holds her hands tightly. Kalash continues talking.

“Maine jo kuch bhi kiya usme Kajal ki koi galati nahi hai. Usne mujhe ya kisi aur ko kabhi aisa koi ishara nahi diya ke use aisa kuch chahiye. She wasn’t… asking for it. Ye mere hi dil aur dimag ki gandagi hai jiske chalte maine us bechari ladki ke saath aisa kiya. Sirf woh nahi, maine aur bohot saari ladkio ke saath aisa kiya hai. Meri biwi Sunita ne mujhe rokne ki har mumkin koshish ki. Lakin maine uski ek nahi suni. Ulta uspe attiyachar kiya. Uspe haath uthaya. Aur in sabki saza mujhe aaj mili hai. Meri beti par bhi kisi mard aaj apni gandi nazar daali. Aur iska zimedaar sirf main hu. Meri beti mere liye sab kuch hai. Aur uspe koi bhi aanch aye ye main bardasht nahi kar sakta. Isiliye maine apni jaan dene ka faisla kiya hai. Taaki mere karmo ki saza meri beti ko na mile aur woh apni zindagi bina kisi fikar ke je sake”

The video ends. After that the reporter gives a conclusory mark and ends the segment and then moves onto the next one.

Even though Kajal was shown in the news once or twice during the last 1.5 months it was from far away and that is why people don’t know what she looks like. That is why the other customers in the café don’t pay any attention to her and resume the activities they were engaged in before.

Chandni is still holding the Kajal’s hand, who by now has almost composed herself and the initial wave of various emotions has subsided and she finally has started to comprehend the situation.

Kajal: Mujhe samajh nahi araha. Achanak se aise apni jaan dedi.
Kabir: Don’t worry about it Kajal. Woh yehi deserve karta tha.
Dhruv: Exactly. Tum jo chahti thi woh ho gaya. Usne khud apne jurm kabool kar liya. Baaki case ki chinta matt karna. I will take care of the formalities.

Kajal doesn’t say anything. Even though what she wanted has happened by some miracle, she needs time to recover from the whole thing. It won’t happen in a day.

Soon another thought hits her.

Kajal: Maa-Baba. Unhone bhi news dekhi hogi. Mujhe ghar jana hoga.

She doesn’t wait for anyone’s answer and leaves quickly. The coffee Lily made for her sits on the counter untouched. Shunty sees her leaving while attending a group of customers. He joins them on the counter after he is done with them.

Shunty: Kya hua? Kajal thik to hai na.
Chandni: Abhi nahi hai. Lakin ho jayegi.
Kabir: Aur iske liye Kalash Juneja ka marna bohot zaruri tha.

He looks at them and smiles. They smile too. The five of them share a collective look of victory, pride and satisfaction.

#

Riddhima and Angad enter the forensic lab. It is almost evening. The lab is like any other lab. There are jars and beakers everywhere. The air is heavy with the smell of various chemicals, which carries a sense of gloom.

They see Neha leaning over Kalash’s dead body, just finishing with the autopsy. She lifts her head at the sound of their footsteps.

Neha: Tum logo ne news dekhi? Kalash ka confession ka?
Angad: Ha. Dekha humne. Suicide hi hai.

Riddhima still looks doubtful.

Neha: Come on Riddhima. Tumhe abhi bhi lagta hai ke ye murder hai?
Angad: Ha. Ise abhi bhi shak hai.
Neha: Well main tumhara shak dur kar deti hu. It IS suicide. Kalash ne khud hi khud ko goli maari hai. And this time I am 100% sure. Goli ki trajectory aur Kalash ke haath me mili gun powder yehi sabit karti hai.
Riddhima: Uska blood alcohol level?
Neha: Zero. Maltab kisine uska haath pakar ke fire kiya ye bhi possible nahi hai.
Riddhima: Yeah. I know. Main bas saare bases cover karne ke liye puch rahi thi. Uske confession dekhne ke baad shak ki koi gunjayish hi nahi hai ke goli usine chalayi hai.
Neha: But?
Riddhima: The confession.
Neha: Uska kya?
Riddhima: You know Kalash us video me dara hua lag raha tha. Lakin uski jo situation thi uske hisab se use lachar aur bebas hona chahiye tha. Jo woh tha. Lakin dara hua! Nahi. Ye normal nahi hai.
Neha: Come on Riddhima. Woh apni beti ke liye dara hua hoga.
Angad: Exactly. Sunita ne kaha na ke Kalash is duniya me sirf apni beti se pyaar karta tha. To uske marne ke baad Priya ka kya hoga ye sochke woh dar gaya hoga.
Riddhima: Nahi Angad. Mujhe nahi lagta ke aisa hai.
Neha: To tumhare hisab se uske dare hue hone ki kya wajay thi.
Riddhima: Waha kamre me koi aur bhi tha jisne use majboor kiya ye video banane aur khudko goli maarne ke liye. Priya ka naam leke use blackmail karke.
Neha: That is impossible. CSU walo ne check kiya hai. Saare khidki darwaze andar se locked the.

Angad looks at Riddhima, then smiles.

Neha: Kya?
Angad: Riddhima ke hisab se ek aisa insaan hai jiske liye ye possible hai. Kalash ke ghar me ghuske use suicide karne ke liye majboor karna aur khidki darwazo ko bina khole bahar ana.
Neha: Kaun?
Angad: Wahi jo humesha iske khayalo me raheta hai.

It takes her a second to realize who is he talking about.

Neha: Come on Riddhima. Seriously? Anjaan?
Angad: Yes Anjaan.

Neha and Angad start laughing.

Riddhima: Tum logo ko jitna hasna hai tum haso. But mujhe pakka shak hai ke iske piche Anjaan hai.
Neha: You know what Riddhima. Jis tarha se tum har case me Anjaan ka naam leti raheti ho na, mujhe to shak hone laga hai ke kahi tumhe usse pyaar to nahi ho gaya hai.
Riddhima: Paheli baat, main har case me Anjaan ka naam nahi leti. Aur dusri baat. Are you mad? Anjaan is duniya ka akhri mard bhi hua na to bhi main usse pyaar nahi karne wali. Mujhe use bas salakho ke piche phochana hai.

She has no idea what the future holds for her.

#

It is 10 pm at night. Time to close the café. The customers have already left. Kabir, Chandni Lily and Shunty are cleaning up before going home. Dhruv has joined them straight from his office to pick his wife Chandni.

The atmosphere is quite light compared to last night. Last night they had a job to do, which involved risk and uncertainty. But tonight, they know that they have succeeded.

Lily: You know. Ek pal ke liye to mujhe laga ke police ko Kalash ke phone me uska confession mil gaya hai aur unhone telecast rok diya hai. Deri dekhke.
Shunty: Woh log aur khabar jutane me lage honge. Isiliye waqt lag gaya.

A seed of doubt starts brewing in Kabir’s mind.

Kabir: Lily.
Lily: Ha.
Kabir: Is case ka lead investigator kaun hai?
Lily: Sub-inspector Riddhima Rai.
Kabir: What do we know about her?
Lily: Bas yehi ke she is one of the best in the department. May be the best.
Kabir: Pata karo iske bareme. I want to know everything about her.

This takes everyone slightly by surprised.

Chandni: Lakin hum to usually sirf case ke progress pe nazar rakhte hai, investigating officer ke bareme to pahele kabhi pata nahi kiya.

Kabir looks at her and smiles.

Kabir: Chandni, you can never be too careful in the business we are running.
Chandni: Woh to hai.
Lily: Kal tak nikaal lungi main saare information.

Kabir nods.

Dhruv: Lakin itna to bata Kabir ke achanak se ye khayal kyu aya. Kuch to hua hoga.
Kabir: Pahele Lily information nikaal le phir batata hu.
Dhruv: Thik hai.

Dhruv watches his best friend with doubt and hesitation.

Dhruv: Tune Kalash ke ghar apne hone ka koi sabut to nahi chhora na?

Kabir looks at him.

Kabir: Aaj tak kabhi chhora hai jo aaj chhorunga? Anjaan kabhi bhi apne hone ka sabut nahi chhorta. Isiliye to duniya aaj bhi Anjaan se anjaan hai.