Ch56
Police brought them into the court under tight protection the media and local newspapers were stopped at the main gate of the local court where Dutta and baaji where to stand trial for plea of bail. The place was crammed full with people sitting on the dirty dusty floor waiting to catch a glimpse of the man himself. Local people were not allowed in as the courtroom was very small. But the court workers themselves were intrigued about this hearing. The cleaners, janitors, small time advocates who normally open stall under umbrellas to sign affidavits for a few hundred rupees; they all made up for the crowd. Dutta and Bajji where shown into the small grilled prison set up at the corner of the criminals. They were not afforded place to sit as prison was too small to accommodate chairs. The crowds stood up and folded their hands on their heads to greet him. He walked amongst them with his hand held high up in a salutation. His eyes stopped on a face in the crowd and as he stood behind the nets of the prison his eyes never left that one face. The judge took her seat and heard the proceedings carefully. The police were requesting a remand stay on them till the official hearing of the case while Dutta's advocate was trying to get another bail plea for them. Dutta raised his hand midway his advocate's speech without moving his gaze from her ashen face. He cursed inside her stubbornness. He was half expecting her to be here this morning. His blood was boiling inside as he controlled his urge to break open the door and drag his wife out of the filthy courtroom where she was perspiring from heat and take her home where she belonged . He signaled him to his attorney to his side and whispered to him. the attorney gave him a look which doubted if dutta had lost his mind. Dutta told him to finish it quickly. He didn't want nakkusha to breath in this air longer than was necessary. Dutta's attorney faced the judge and said in a clear voice that his clients withdraw their plea of bail and are ready to stay in remand. Nakkusha gasped loudly as tears clouded her vision. Madhu held her shoulders to support her looking at her brother shocked.
As dutta was brought out he took long strides towards nakkusha- Tu yahan kya kar rahi hai? kissne kaha tujhe yahan aane ke liye? Waqis tera dimag kharab ho gaya hai kya? Before waqis could stammer out his reasons nakkusha looked up at him her woebegone face peering up at his thundering expressions- main aapko dekhna chahti thi. Mujhse raha nahi gaya. Dutta- pagal ho gai hai. Nakku tujhe aisi halat mein yahan nahi hona chahiye..Tu aisi Gandhi jagah par mere bacchey ko lekar aayi hai..aise ghatiya mahool mein! Nakkusha looked with anger in her eyes- aapko lagta hai ki aapke bacchey ko aap is mahool se durr rakh payenge..jab tak aap is mahool mein haiâŚhum dono is mahool mein hai..aapse alag nahi hai hum dono, saab! Dutta was stunned into silence by her speech. He looked down nodding his head. He cupped hre face in his hands and spoke softly- Nakku, main jaanta hoon. Main jaanta hoon ki hum dono humare bacchey ko us mahool se durr bada karna chahtey hai jahan se hum khud aye hai. Main wada karta hoon sab saaf kar dunga. Bas kuch dinno ki baat haiâŚsab theek kar dunga. Bas bharosa rakh aapne saab par aapne bappa par. Hmm? Nakkusha nodded even as her lips trembled in a cry. Dutta looked at madhu and signaled her to take care of her. Madhu stopped Dutta with a hand on his shoulder- aapne aisa kyu kiya? Bail kyu nahi li? Why? Dutta looked at harsh who was waiting for him and turned back to her- madhu, main bas apne gunaho ki saaza kaat raha hoon.Bas!
As dutta and baaji were taken away the crowds cheered his name and showered blessing on him. As Nakkusha stepped out with her head covered in her pallu she was flashed with the dazzle of the cameras as they got a clip of the sad pregnant wife of the Don of patilwadi.
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Kalawati barked orders at the guards to throw out the villagers who had come with their pleas to Duttabhau. They refused to budge from their place and asked for baaji or Aaisaheb. Kalawati thundred at them- Maar gaya tum logo ka bhau. Wo khud ek kida hai tum jaise keedo ki kya madat karega..aur aaisaheb khud itni pareshan hai. unke paas tum logon ke liye samay nahi hai. Jao yahan se dobara nahi ana samjhe?
"Rukko!"Nakkusha called out to the disappointed villagers. She got down slowly from the car and walked towards the people," aap logon ko kahin jane ki jarurat nahi. Aap logon ki madat main karegiâŚmain nakkusha dutta patilâŚpatil niwas ki malkinâŚ.patilwadi ki maalkin. Aaj tak patil niwas se koi khali haath nahi lautaâŚaaj bhi nahi lautega." Nakkusha looked at the guards who immediately got into motion by bringing a chair for her to seat. Nakkusha looked at kalawati who was spitting venom at her with hatred. Nakkusha walked with her head held high and sat slowly on the chair and listened to the complaints of the people while madhu stood by her side advising her softly in between and waqis nodding at nakkusha whenever she gave him some order about the villagers.
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"Pakki khabar hai saabâŚ..aaj 11baje Khonaki ghat pe sab maal uttaregaâŚaap khud dekh lo." The voice husked and broke into fits of cough. Harsh's eyes narrowed to slits trying to place the voice,"Agar khabar galat hui to main tujhe dund ke aisa peetungaâŚ". "Saab, main kaunsa bakshish maan raha hai..muft bata raha haiâŚun logon se mereko bhi aapna hisaab kitaab karne ka hai"the voice rasped. Harsh-tu hai kaun? Mera number kahan milla? The line went dead as harsh stared at the phone trying to decide his next course of action. He picked up his cell and dialed his junior inspector. Harsh- haan lokhande, wo tip milli hai..chinna ka maal aaraha hai khonaki beech peâŚsabko tayar kar.
Ganpat removed the cloth from over the public phone and turned and gave thumbs up to waqis and his friends. Bilaal nodded and looked at waqis for futher instruction. Waqis- bilaal tu aaj kale ke saath waha aas paas rehega par beech mein panda nahi jab tak jarurat na ho..main patil niwas mein bhabhijaan aur baaki parivaar k liye ganpath aur baakiyon ke saath rahungaâŚkuch logon ko police station ke bahar bhi khada karnaâŚbhaijaan ki hifajat ke liye..lekin chai ki dukaan ya kuch aur ke bahane seâŚ..samjha? bilaal nodded and signaled kale to follow him.
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Harsha went to khonaki beech and found that his job had already been done by some phantom. The hired hands of chinna were biting the dust groaning. Harsh followed the trail on the sand of a few pairs of boots running towards the foliage. He followed the rustle in the plants and found a group of men in a tussle Harsh shouted at them to freeze and pointing his gun at them moved forward with his torch. The fight ended abruptly as a shadow that was leaning over a prone body of man beating him to pulp dropped the unconscious body. Harsh raced forward to catch the guy in the shadow. The beam of torch fell on the face of the guy and harsh froze for a second. No! How could this be? He must be hallucinating he thought impossible. The face he saw belonged to the one man that harsh would have never dreamed of in his life.
But before he could reach the spot the shadow had vanished. Harsh tried to chase him but how can one chase darkness?
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Bilaal who was watching the preceding from a bush hidden from the police called waqis and told him that it had all gone according to the big guy's plan. Waqis smiled in the phone,"bilaal bachpan mein betal ki kahani suni thi..chaley phirtey prt ki? Aaj harsh ne wahi bhoot dekha hai. ab maaza ayega!"
Madhu heard him and folded her hands. Waqis cut his phone and stood up. Madhu- waqis tu mujhe khud batayega ki kya ho raha hai..ya main zor lagaoun?
Waqis- aap bhabhijaan ka khyal rakho, madhu ji. Baaki hum sab sambhal rahe hai. waise bhi kuch cheese kum logo ko pata ho to behtar hai. Madhu- par agar bhaiya ko khoon ki saaza ho gayi to..wo bail lene se inkar kyu kar rahe hai?
Waqis- ek baat ka yakeen dillata hoonâŚabhi tak koi kanoon bana nahi hai jo dutta bhau ko saaza de sakeâŚaap chinta mat karo bhaijaan sab theek kardenge..bahbhijaan ke saath rahiye ,khuda ke liye.
Madhu nodded and walked towards nakusha's room. Leela had heard the conversation. A frowned marred her face as she clutched the white sari to her chest and bit her lips in frustration.
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Harsh strode into the police station with menace in his eyes. He picked up the inspector in charge there by his collars and shook him on his legs. Harsh glared hard at him- saale, tu naukri police ki karta hai aur gulami is mujrim ki? Bik gaya tu..tera imaan, haan? Tune Dutta ko jaane kaise diya? Choda kaise usko?
The man trembled and stuttered-SirâŚsirâŚkaisi baatein kar raahien haiâŚDuttabhau to yahi hai..jail mein...aapke kahe ki hisaab se unko double security mein rakha hai.
Harsh slapped him- jhoot! To kya main andha hoon? Bewakoof hoon main jo wahan khonaki mein Dutta nazar aayegaâŚaur sirf dutta nahi uska wo chella bhiâŚpagal hoon main? Maine aapni aankhon se un dono ko wahan chinna ke aadmiyon ko maartey dekha hai..
The inspector cried- sir, main sach keh raha hoon..duttabhau yahi hai..baaji bhau bhiâŚaap khud dekh lijiye..wo cell mein bandh hai..shaam ka khanna maine khud check karke diya tha unkoâŚkha ke dono aapne apne beds pe so gaye..abhi bhi soye huye hai.
Harsh swore darkly and turned towards the restricted high security cells were he had kept dutta and baaji in remand. He kicked open the cell door and saw them laying on their bunks. Dutta got up on his elbow and peered at him groogily. Baaji yawned-kaun hai be? Khaali pilli neend kaâŚ.Arey bhau, ye to aapna saala hai. Dutta rubbed his eyes and laid back on his arm- chup beâŚsaala hoga tera. Kya baat hai ACP? Raat ko hum bechare mujhrimo ki neend kyu haram kar rahe ho? Baaji- kya hua harsh? Neend nahi aarahi kya? Main loori sunaoâŚShammi ko mera gaanaâŚ
Harsh adavaced with heavy steps and kicked baaji on his stomach- mujhe bewakoof banata haiâŚbata kaise nikale tum log yahan seâŚkaise pahuchey khonaki..bol. Harsh mindlessly plummeted baaji and punched him hard. Dutta got up and laconically watched the scene. Harsh hit baaji twice drawing blood. Dutta jumped down and walked between them and held harsh's hand mid punch and lowered it. Dutta threw a look back at baaji who grinning despite his split lip and bleeding forehead- bhauâŚACP ko chard gayi! Harsh advanced towards him but dutta drew him back. Dutta- Harsh, tu kya bol raha hai..tu khud soch..tune hi humein yahan remand mein liya hai..poch tach karne ke liye..ye tere aadmi hai charon aurâŚcamera lagaya hai us mirror ke picchey ..wahan darwaze peâŚhum log yahan se agar nikalne ki koshish bhi karenge to camera mein to record hoga na? Hum aise bewakoofi kyun karenge? Agar humein bahar jaana hota to hum bail ke liye adalat mein jaate..aur ye tub hi jaanta hai ki humein bail asaani se mill jatiâŚto ab main aisi galati kyu karunga. Tu ek kaam kar. Ghar ja aur do peg lagake chaddar taan ke soojaâŚsubha tak tera bhi dimag saaf ho jayega. Jaa!
Harsh threw a venomous look at dutta and baaji grinned at him showing him the door. As harsh strode out dutta turned to baaji- dimag kharab hai teraâŚkaiko cheda tu us bigarde sand koâŚjootey khan eke liye..lagaya kyun nahi ulta usko?
Baaji grinned at him and jauntily walked towards his bed. Getting comfortable on it he peered at dutta with half closed lid- kal shammika aane waali hai bhau, apun se millne. Ab jab usko pata chalega ki uska bhai kaise aapne power ka galat use karke mereko dhoya to usko kitna sad lagega, nai? Aur phir wo aapne bhai se mere dard ka chun chunke badla legi aur meri aatma ko shaanti millegi. Dutta- tu bahut bada jalebi hai, baaji. Dutta climbed up his bunk and laid down. Baaji asked after sometime- bhau, tu abhi kya soch raha? Dutta smiled looking at the ceiling- yahi ki teri vahini ke bina raat kitni lambi lagti hai. Baaji chuckled- bhau, tu to mujhse bhi bada jalebi hai!
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That set pattern for things for the next few weeks. The smuggling on the shores of konkan incrased tenfold with Dutta and baaji in jail. Harsh was driven to wall trying to put out fires in many places. He would receive tips of the smuggling and privateering on the shores and by the time he got there things would already be over. He only got trails of unconscious beaten bodies and the goods. Many times he would encounter Dutta and baaji running away from the place of crime. He had watched the CCtv footage and had found nothing. They showed both dutta and baaji in their cells all the time-chatting like they were on vacation, answering to nature calls in the small built in toilet cabinet, working out, playing cards pacing around or just simply sleeping. Harsh was at his wits end. He knew what he had seen but without proof he couldn't do anything. On the other hand madhu and shammi were making his life miserable by their cold anger. He wondered why he was the one suffering. He was supposed to be the Good guy here, couldn't they see it?
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"Dutta Dutta DUTTAâŚ." Yogi raged at his men. "Wo jail mein hai phir bhi hum logo ka ab tak 15 crore ka nuksaan kar chukka hai..aur hum usse choo bhi nahi payeâŚnikammo!" He punched his man and kicked his chest."Wo akela aata hai..bas baaji ke saath aur sab kuch khatam kareke challa jata haiâŚaur tum ghadey log mujhe ye khushkhabar sunnae chale aatey ho"
Chinna- AppaâŚsochne ka baat ye haiâŚki Dutta ko aapna khabar kaise chalta hai..uske kaan itne tez kaise hai?
Yogi stopped- bewakoofi kiya main. Mujhe samajh jaana tha..ki yahan ratnagiri mein dhanda Dutta se mandovli kiye bina nahi hogaâŚmereko Dutta chahiye..kissi bhi haalat mein.
Chinna- Dutta ka nerve to apna nahi pakad paye..pan Chinna ke paas ek plan hai Appa..jiss se hum police ka nerve pakad saktey haiâŚagar police ko force kare ki wo hum log to dutta laake de to?
Yogi- hmmâŚtheek hai..bolo kya plan hai?
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Nakkusha was lighting the lamp near the idol's feet when first discomforting twinges of hurt assailed her. She straightened slowly ignoring the telltale pains and joined her hand to pray for his well being. It had been 3weeks since police had taken him. She knew he was in line of work which was murky as the dark muddy waters but now as she could feel her babe moving inside her, she just wanted him to get out of the murky dark world and come clean. But most of all she wanted him to come back to her. " Hey baappa! Mere saab ki raksha karo..main jaanti hai aap mere ko kabhi nirash nahi karogey."
As another jolt of pain shook her body she realized that it's not the normal back pain she had been having for days. "Nahi..abhi nahiâŚhey bappa! Saab ke aaney ke baadâŚ.main ye akele nahi kar paungiâŚsaab ne wada kiya ki hum saath mein aapna ye saapna duniya mein layengeâŚ.main akele nahi la saktio tumhe is duniya meinâŚmujhe saab ka saath chahiye." As the pain grew intense nakkusha fell on her feet gsaping for breath her hands holding on her bump.
AS who was walking down the steps saw nakku on her knees twisting in pain. A scream escaped her lips,"Nakku! NAkku!..koi hai..laukar yaâŚNakkuâŚNAkku beta!" She held nakku in her arms as nakku closed her eyes in pain.
Nakkusha gasped- AaisahebâŚ.saabâŚmere saab ko bula doâŚ.unhe bula do!
AS- haan nakku..hum..hum..Dutta ko bulwatey haiâŚtu chinta mat kar betaâŚhum abhi hospital challenge. Madhu had heard the screams. She rushed towards Nakku-AaisahebâŚkya hua? AS-Madhu, Nakkusha ko hospital le jaana hogaâŚwaqt aa gaya hai. Gaadi nikalwaâŚNakkusha gasped again-Saab!...Saab..AS looked resolutely at madhu- Dutta ko jail mein khabar pahucha de.
...To be continued.
Cricket
Anupamaa
