Hi friends,
Sorry for the delay. The thing being the net connection was so horrible and the lappy wouldn't connect.
So finally here is the story, it flows in two parts. Posting part 1, and depending on the response would post part 2.
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Morning 10 AM, CID Bureau, Mumbai.
The ring from the reception was urgent and demanding. Pankaj yawned his boredom and was next to the ringing telephone in a flash.
"Hello, CID?"
"Hello, This is Anam Chaudhary calling from Niyamat house. I want to report a murder!"
"Sure. Whom did you say?
"What? Is my voice not clear enough? Can't you recognize my voice? I am the face of Saiyyara! Can't you see?"
"Ma'm, right now I can see only the four walls of the bureau. Now if you would kindly tell me your address..."
"You don't know even the address?"
Is it amongst the seven wonders of the world? Or a tourism spot? Pankaj wondered and then stifled a laugh. Some people were such a pain in the backside.
"Ma'm, I need the address for records!"
"Ok, take it down." The voice had a distinct drawl to it, "Sea pearl, Sea face, Marine drive. You won't have any problem locating it. Ask anyone!"
"Fine Ma'm. Someone will be on the way!"
The line went dead. Pankaj rolled his eyes and recorded the request. And sure enough, the team led by ACP Pradyuman was on the way to Niyamat house.
Niyamat house was a huge mansion facing the sea. Standing in the middle of a manicured lawn, the place screamed its position in the high society. Indeed, some locals had even hinted at a large swimming pool inside the premises. There was no one about.
The doorbell was answered by a manservant who ushered the CID team to a large sitting area.
The team quickly went into some sort of recon meeting.
"Huge place. Rich people...I don't see anybody here..."
"Where is the body? The caller said murder..."
"But who called?"
"Someone called Anam Chaudhary! Pankaj said pure attitude!"
A wail from somewhere brought their recon meeting to an end.
"Haye Allah...ab yeh din bhi dekhana baki reh gaya tha kya..." ACP gestured to Shreya, who quickly donned hand gloves and zeroed on to the source, located in an alcove a bit away from the seating area. A woman was squatting on the floor and wailing.
Was the woman injured? She called out to her team members.
"Sir..." Sr Inspector Daya was the first to reach the spot. Shreya reached out tentatively.
"Excuse me..."
"Haye Rabba..." The beating renewed.
"We are from the CID"
"Mar gayi..."The wails increased in volume like a tantrum thrown by a child when denied its favourite toy. The cacophony was ear shattering.
"Ma'm, please control yourself. Where is the body?" Daya looked around with all the hopes of finding the body. The others were shuffling their feet in the sitting area. Why couldn't they get this over and then move on?
"Meri Jaan...Mar gayi.." Shreya rolled her eyes on this and then looked at Daya. What sort of house was this? And who was this woman?
She quickly fished out her notebook and started recording a Situation Report, which would go on the records.
Female, age uncertain. Could be 40 or even 60. Wears typical clothes belonging to the Mohammadian culture. A large mole on the right cheek and two large teeth protruding out in front. Hysterical, not able to answer any question. Lamenting about someone being dead. Unresponsive after that. Might be deaf.
"Shreya..." Daya gestured to move back to the sitting area. They would investigate this queer woman later. The team members were quick to reassemble.
"Who is that, Shreya?"
"A woman, just sitting and lamenting. Doesn't look injured or anything. Not responding to verbal questions. Anyways, I have made a record in my notebook!"
"Good. We'll see her later. But I don't see anyone else! Is this a ghost house?"
"Ghost house?"
ACP turned around to the voice. A plump woman, delicately groomed, obviously the owner of Niyamat house. She walked with a purposeful tread.
"Assalaam Waleikum. How may I help you?"
"We are from CID..."
"CID?" Was there was a fleeting expression of fear in those heavy kohl lined eyes? ACP Pradyuman strode forward authoritatively.
"Yes, CID. There was a report of a murder from this house. And you are...?
"Alvira Chaudhary. The owner of this house. Well, I am not aware of any murder. Are you sure the call came from here?" She looked confused and ACP rolled his eyes. He was increasingly getting the premonition of having been taken on a wild goose chase. Was that another crank call? It happened all the time.
"Well the caller said her name was..."
"I did, Ammi..." A fresh voice drawled from somewhere and ACP Pradyuman whirled around.
This one looked straight out of page three of a leading newspaper. In complete contrast to the plump Alvira, who displayed a complete lack of angularity in the body, the newcomer was more skeletal. She wore a strapless blouse, made of sheer satin and a saree which could be described as one made under the most austere conditions of availability of the fabric. In short, she wore practically next to nothing, her assets very much on display.
She extended a slim hand.
"Anam Chaudhary, the eldest daughter in law of this house. I called your bureau!"
ACP ignored the outstretched hand and folded his hands in a humble greeting.
"ACP Pradyuman from the CID. And this is my team. Sr Inspectors Daya and Abhijit, Inspector Shreya. Ohh and not to forget, Dr Salunke and Dr Tarika from the forensics..."
"Hey..." Anam's response was a startled squeak. Dr Salunke had reached her back and was gesturing wildly to Dr Tarika, his assistant.
"Wh...what are you upto?"
Dr Salunke ignored the bleat for the moment. He lifted Anam's hand, held it at right angles to her torso and turned to Tarika.
"See, this is the bone I was telling you about..." He poked vigourously with his forefinger and Anam winced involuntarily, "This bone is normally not visible at all, so far I have seen it only once in a dead body in my career of 20 odd years..."
"It would be nice to see it then. Do you need a scalpel?"
"Yes, and if we could get her to the bureau, it would be much beneficial. My instruments are all there. We'll dissect the bone in no time at all!"
Anam paled at the very intention. These people wouldn't hesitate to dissect her out without anaesthesia! And which bone were they talking about? She was about to say something when her attention was drawn to a sketch pen which was being flourished by Dr Tarika.
"Sir, you mean the nerve passes from here?" She drew the line on Anam's body, partly in the armpit and partly on the forearm.
"Yes. And the brachial plexus, here..." Salunke dug in his pocket for a pen but brought out a forceps instead, and Anam froze for the second time that day.
"Wha..What are you people upto?" She moved involuntarily drawing out a small growl from Dr Salunke.
"Be still, please. This is something that we don't get to see every day!"
"Ammi...please help!"
"Anam, these people are seasoned professionals. They have seen something in your body which is rare for a normal human being, and I feel you should help them. So, keep still for some time. Will you?" Alvira was having trouble keeping her face straight. And she was not alone; the entire CID team looked as if they would burst laughing any moment.
Anam looked ready to burst into tears at any moment.
Shreya continued writing the proceedings in her notebook, suppressing her laughter from time to time. What a weird house and weirder inhabitants.
ACP Pradyuman was growing restless. Kuchh to gadbad hain...he frowned and muttered to nobody in particular. They had rushed to the site on request and this is what they had encountered so far.
A wailing distraught woman crying about a murder but didn't respond to further queries.
The plump matriarch of the family, who claimed to be in control but feigned complete ignorance of the murder.
Anam Chaudhary. Prim and proper, eldest daughter in law of the family. Spoke with a drawl, heavily anglicized hindi/urdu. Scantily dressed, a big show off. But she was the person who had called the CID so obviously she knew at least something about the murder. And she as being used as a teaching model by Dr Salunke.
Was it going too far? He decided to intervene. But to dissuade Dr Salunke from his favourite human body dissection was like plucking a valence electron from a noble element.
"Don't interfere, ACP...Don't you see we are busy? Ah, Tarika. Stop ogling. What is it, Abhijit?
"Dr Salunke, how about using my body for the discussion? I am sure Dr Tarika would find my heart missing, maybe?"
Dr Salunke ignored the insinuation for the time being.
"No Abhijit, your body won't do. For this body is quite unique. I have not seen such a sample yet. See, the brachial plexus..."
ACP Pradyuman reached out to stop the flow of the words which were quite unwanted at the moment.
"Dr Salunke, we can study the structure of the human body later. Right now, we need to find out about a murder here at Niyamat house! Now, shall we focus at the task in our hand?
"Of course, Boss..." Salunke threw a mock salute. Abhijit winked at Tarika and turned to Anam, who had finally lowered her hand and was rotating it to get the circulation back in order.
"OK, Sorry Anam Ma'm...I believe you called us? Who has been murdered?"
"Well, I..." Anam was about to say something when a wail renewed itself from the dining area.
"haye Allah...please grant her heaven...she was a noble soul!"
"Kurti Aapa, please control yourself. Who should go to heaven? Who is dead?" Alvira reached the wailing woman and tried to make some sense of the happenings around her. What was going on? Why had Anam called them? Who had been murdered? She mentally checked on all the residents of Niyamat house: Zaki? at the club. Nausheen, Dadi, Zara & Myra: at Ajmer Sharif. Sahir? in Saiyyara. Aarzoo...Ya khuda! Aarzoo was missing. Was she...?
Alvira froze as her mind conjured a vicious picture. Where was Aarzoo? She straightened and turned to Anam, her voice stern.
"Anam, tell me frankly. Who has been murdered here?"
Anam was about to say something when a powerful voice intervened.
"What the hell has been going on here? Who are these people and what are they doing here?" The CID team turned around, for this was the voice of the undisputed master of the house. This was the voice that commanded instantaneous respect: one that made you snap to attention as a reflex.
Sahir stood in the doorway. Aarzoo stood next to him, files balanced in the crook of her arm.
Alvira exhaled slowly. So Aarzoo was safe after all! And Sahir's presence had a very sobering effect on everyone. She rushed to him with the sole hope of getting her bearings back.
"Sahir...good that you are here, my son. These people are from CID. They claim to have received a call from us reporting a murder!"
"Murder? Whose...?"
"I don't know, my son. Anam called them!"
Sahir silently turned to Anam. She paled and wordlessly pointed to Kurti Aapa.
It was a strange situation. Nobody knew what was happening. Or had happened. The only person who appeared to know something was lost in her grief.
Sahir strode to Kurti Aapa and shook her hard. She was crying silently. ACP and his team followed suit.
"Kurti Aapa, sober up please. Why are you crying?"
"She is dead...murdered by this one here!" The finger pointed to someone in space and the wail increased in volume. The CID team waited with baited breath silently gesturing to each other.
The culprit was here, amongst them? They quickly fanned out across, covering all possible exits in case the murderer decided to bolt away. Adrenaline coursed its way across.
Sahir sat next to Kurti Aapa and put an arm around her.
"Kurti Aapa...now cool down. First tell me, who is dead?"
"How does it matter to you? Both of you murdered her in cold blood!"
"What? I murdered someone?" Now that was a bolt from the blue. For the first time, Sahir, the multimillionaire owner of Saiyyara, was nonplussed. He shuddered as the iron hand of ACP Pradyuman clamped on his shoulder, his face wearing a characteristic expression.
"Tabhi to...Kuchh to gadbad hain, Daya..."
The tall muscular frame of Daya came forward and took Sahir by his arm.
Alvira was aghast. Sahir, a murderer? What would her friends say? She would be shunned across...
Across the room, Anam was smirking. Sahir behind the bars...then Saiyyara would be hers! Wow. She would grow further. Get invited to fashion shows. She would be onboard of the selection committee of each and every beauty pageant soon. Wow, that was some news...Hey but wait. The Lucknow goat was still there!
"Hey wait!" Aarzoo decided it was high time. "How can you arrest someone just like that? According to Kurti Aapa, He has murdered someone. But who? Shouldn't you be finding out?"
"You are right, Ma'm. But who would tell us? This lady here?"
Ok, let me try.."
Aarzoo sat down near Kurti Aapa and hugged her close.
"Kurti Aapa...Calm down please. Tell me, who is dead?"
The physical touch from Aarzoo had a strange effect on Kurti Aapa. She reared up in sheer repulsion.
"Don't touch me, you leech...sorcerer...murderer!" Aarzoo was taken aback. The last expletive had a rippling effect on the CIP team. So, here was the second murderer? Shreya moved to intercept Aarzoo, but there was no need.
"What the heck are you people upto?" Sahir decided to take things in his hand once for all. "Based on an old woman's senile rumblings, you label me and Aarzoo as murderers? On what basis? And where is the proof?"
"That we can see later. Mr Sahir. Right now we are taking you in custody for an investigation!"
"OK, I surrender myself. But I have a right to ask questions. So whom have I murdered?"
"Wait. Let us find out, in our way!" Shreya splashed a jug of cold water on Kurti Aapa's face.
The effect was quite electric. Kurti Aapa suddenly sobered up.
Sahir strode to her.
"Sorry for that, Kurti Aapa. Now tell me whom have I murdered?"
"You have murdered Zeenat!"
"Zeenat?"
"Zeenat? Now who the heck is this?" The CID team rolled their eyes. Some other family member? Prima facie, the case appeared more complicated.
Anam leaned to Alvira, her expression conspiratorial.
"Ohh...she meant Zeenat! Poor girl. Tut-tut..."
Sahir however was not in a relenting mood. He turned to Kurti Aapa.
"But Zeenat is in the US! How did I murder her by being here?"
"No, Zeenat is not in US. She is here, in the backyard..."
"What nonsense. I personally sent Zeenat there for treatment! Alongwith Dr Khurana!"
"Zeenat is very much here, Sahir. You never sent her to US. Because you never wanted her to recover! And Dr Khurana was quite happy to receive a ticket for a round trip world tour!"
"Kurti Aapa, what nonsense! Are you out of your mind?"
"So, Sahir, who is the woman whom you sent to US?" Anam drawled, secretly wishing that Sahir could have sent her instead. Alvira shook her head in complete disbelief.
The ACP was scowling again. He fished out his mobile.
"Give me the FBI..."
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Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
