CHAPTER 1...
22nd December, morning, after the murder...
The sub-inspector of the local police station got inside the hall yawning constantly. Middle-aged, short height, plump figure, bald head and a healthy pot belly - the inspector's look does not create any extra gravity over the ambiance. But it seems SI. Sahani loves to show his authority, and often tries to compensate the vacancy of his personality with voice. After yawning once more after coming in front of the room he shouted at the sub-inspector for no reason, and then trotted inside with the same silly-sally pace. Jalal was roaming around the crime spot to seek out evidences, looked at Sahani while he got in. His frown grew deeper.
"Hmmm!!" The officer sounded like an expert while moving his eyes over the whole room. Then his eyes stuck on Jodha who was sitting vacantly on a chair nearby with tired, broken face. "You are Rajasahib's daughter?"
"Yes Mr. Sahani, I had called you." Jodha replied in a tired voice. "We were expecting you from quite a long time. It's..." she looked at watch- "7 already. I called at police station around 2:00 am!"
"Very sad! Very sad! How can anyone dare to kill our Rajasahib!" The officer shook his head looking at the big wall-clock. He is not used to in waking up before 8 am. Crime rate is almost zero in this small village- a murder and that also of the crownless king of this place- one cannot even expect in his nightmare... "Where are the other family members?" He asked after thrashing his whole body-weight on the chair beside Jodha. "I have to interrogate all of the family members, you know- duty..."
"We all are here to cooperate in enquiry officer; you may start your investigation." Jodha was trying hard not to be rude, but the officer was not so sharp to understand that. "So, who discovered it first?" He asked casually while fetching a bottle from the table to drink water.
"My mother..."Jodha replied looking sternly at the uncaring gestures of the inspector. "She lost her sense at once. My cousin sister saw both of them just after that, and we all broke into the room hearing her shout. But..." She glared at Jalal for once who was observing the police officer in vexed eyes before her firm and harsher approach to the officer- "May I now request you to have a vivid look on the crime spot and my father's body before answering your questions? Enough time has been passed in middle and rigour mortis has also started already!!"
"Yes sure!" The officer became active suddenly after getting a dash from Jodha. "Oye Shambhu, come here... take the finger-prints." He shouted to a constable and at the same time uncovered the body which was on the easy-chair still now in the same posture. Even the book was still on his chest as it was before. "Hmm. He has been stabbed!" He commented very seriously after examining the corpse with keen observing eyes. "If we can find the fingerprints from the handle, the killer will be in front of us... Hehe!!" He smiled such a way as if he has caught the murderer just in an instance.
"If you are expecting fingerprints on the handle of knife then let me tell you," Jalal had to speak at last as the foolishness of the SI was getting on his nerves..."...that you won't be able to find the fingerprint of the murderer from this; all the fingerprints have been mixed up in such a way that distinguishing them differently is quite a task! The knife which has been used to kill him is merely a very used kitchen knife, from the kitchen of this house only..." he suddenly became unmindful while telling. "Does it imply that someone from the family has killed him? Anyone who has direct access in the kitchen... but..."
"Hmm..." The officer nodded very intellectually, and sat on the nearby bed. "Send the corpse to the morgue." He commanded.
"The knife tells us a lot of stories. Have you noticed that Mr. Sahani?" Jalal asked with a measured disgust in eyes. The officer picked his brows. Jalal went too near of the body, took his head in front of the wound and the knife, and kept on staring at that keenly. After a while he moved his glare to the face of Mr. Singh frowning deeply. "Who stabbed him is almost novice about human anatomy. The knife has hardly touched the heart. Heart is never located at that much left of the chest... It's not possible to kill a man at one chance by stabbing him there for once. But Mr. Singh has been stabbed only once going by the wound and the amount of bleeding. Why didn't he shout then? Why there is no trace of pain in his face?"
"Detective!" Mr. Sahani sneered at Jalal with a snubbing look. "Who are you by the way, Mr.?"
"You will get to know. First let me give you a small information." Jalal came in front of him. "Surya Pandey, Mr. Singh's secretary is missing from last night. And according to Shivani, I mean the niece of Mr. Singh who saw him dead first, he has killed Mr. Singh!"
"Whattt???" Mr. Sahani's mouth opened so wide that a sparrow of small size might have got into that! "You mean, the secretary killed him? And you all are informing me this now??"
"Stop being over-smart and search for him." Jalal told in a rude professional way. "He had been last seen near about at 12:30 of night by Mrs. Singh; the body has been discovered at around 1:30, and Surya is disappeared from then. The last train departs at 10 pm, so possibly Surya was in Madhubani only or maybe at the nearest station till morning... I hope you are capable enough to find a disappeared person at least. Do this much, I will see the rest!"
"Hey hey listen who the hell are you??? You will order me? ME? What do you think of yourself? Sherlock Homes?" The officer started shouting very naturally.
"Not at all. I am just a servant of Indian Government only...like you!" Jalal very casually placed his ID card in front of his eyes. "Now okay?"
"ACP Jalal Khan..." Officer Sahani popped his eyes and then two hiccups, then gulping once he looked at Jalal with a very sweet and innocent smile. "Y...yeesss Sir!"
"Better!" Jalal uttered very casually while putting the ID card back in his pocket. "Now I hope you will have no problem in carrying out my orders?"
"No Sir! Not at all! I am just a mere servant of you sir!" The inspector chuckled showing all of his teeth.
"You need not to underestimate your status in front of me Mr. Sahani; it's only that the authority gives me the right to order you! I know you'd understand this and will never mind." Jalal told while having a keen look near the window behind, completely indifferent to the unnecessary oiling of the local police officer. "And by the way let me tell you, I absolutely hate a person who does not know the value of time, so from now on I will expect you with a little bit of punctuality."
"Oh! Sir I mean... I mean Rajasahib was so close to our heart...and his demise... you know a sudden shock... so I had broken down and so... I mean..." The officer started stammering while giving excuse.
"Yes I can understand how much you were shocked to cover your peaceful sleep of night and appear in morning... Well leave it!" Jalal controlled his voice and concentrated his attention outside the window. "Come and have a look here. Someone had entered inside through the window."
"What?" Jodha frowned and came forward to have a look.
"Can you see the clear handprints on the dust on rain-pipes going just beside the window? And if you look down, you will find the footsteps on the cornice too! The clean and shining curtains of window are touched with dust in some places, clearly stating that somebody touched them with dust in palm...so..." he became silent in thought again.
"The window is wider enough to enter through this! But as far I know papa used to sleep after closing the window first!" Jodha exclaimed. "Strange! The window was opened when we got inside..."
"Mr. Singh had not slept Jodha, he was on the easy-chair, was reading a book in relaxed mood..." Jalal said. "Isn't it strange? He was stabbed only once, that too not directly on any major organ, but he did not protest once... neither he shouted nor his face shrank in pain... Was he sleeping so deeply on easy-chair? How is this possible?" He started walking around the room. "Someone stabbed the head of the family with a kitchen knife... but someone had climbed the rain-pipes to get access inside the room... the secretary of the victim walks on the corridor at the midnight, prevents the wife of victim to get inside the room saying he is angry and wants privacy- and then disappears- whereas the victim has been found dead while reading a book in easy chair in relaxed mood... Surya killed his boss and escaped... but if he was inside the house, who climbed the window? Kitchen knife... how much was it accessible to Surya?"
"Surya can't murder my father! It's impossible..." Jodha suddenly uttered in a trembling voice. Jalal stared at her shivering eye-lids for some moments with stern eyes. Their eyes met for a second, and Jodha immediately lowered her glare to avoid the eye-contact and gulped. Jalal still kept on looking at her... after a moment he asked a very awkward question. "Was Surya a leftie?"
"Yes... I mean... how do you know?" Jodha looked up.
"I remember I noticed it when I saw him writing with left hand..." Jalal sighed. "As per my observation, the murderer is too a leftie Jodha..."
"How do you know?" Inspector Sahani asked in a suspicious tone.
"From the direction of the hilt of the knife and from the direction he has been stabbed. The door is just straight of his right side as per the place of the chair, and he has been stabbed at the corner of the left chest. See the hilt of the knife coming out of the wound, it is inclined on right side; it says that the knife is stabbed from his right side, not from front...if someone had stabbed him with right hand from this direction, (while acting to stab with right hand standing at the side of the chair) it would not have inclined that much. Now, to get a clearer picture, take an intense look to the hilt and the sharp edge of the knife. It was clearly hold with left hand from its handle. It is not possible to stab one person so boldly from this direction by holding the knife this way until and unless the murderer is a leftie!" Jalal explained. "Just a rough assumption, but I am very much sure about it... Mr.Sahani?"
"Yes Sir!" The officer saluted.
"You were eager to take fingerprints. So do one thing, collect the handprints and footprints from the rain-pipe and cornice- maybe you will find some at ground too... and also take some of the fingerprints from the curtain..." he ordered. "And try to find out the whereabouts of Surya as soon as possible." He glanced at Jodha for a while who was staring steel at the corpse of her father quite unmindfully in pale face! "Excuse me..." He told and came to her. "Come... come with me..." he pulled her closer by her shoulder and got her out of the room. Jodha sighed with all her heart out after getting out of the strangulating environment of the room and closed her eyes in exhaustion. "You need rest. Go and sleep. I am here." Jalal cupped her face with tender affection. "Who did this!?" In reciprocation she released all the grief and shock within her heart in just one question. Jalal sighed.
"Apparently Surya is the main suspect..."
"He cannot!" Jodha was too firm to be ignored this time. "Surya can't kill anybody!"
"You know him very well, isn't it?"
There was something in Jalal's voice that compelled Jodha to gulp to control the shiver in her voice. Then in a low tone she said- "I know him from my childhood Jalal. He is too timid to kill someone!"
"Then where is he? Why did he flee?" Jalal triggered the question on her.
"Perhaps he..." Jodha gulped and consumed the rest of the sentence and covered her face with palms out of weary.
Jalal gazed at her face for some time, then after wiping out the frown from his face completely he caressed her hairs with soft affection. "I am telling you dear, have some rest... please!"
"I am okay Jalal!" Jodha picked up her face with a fresher look. "What did you recon?" She asked.
"Nothing! It's like a riddle with a lot of missing clues!" Jalal sighed unmindfully. Then he looked at Jodha... "Do you remember what had exactly happened yesterday night?"
The night of the murder... 22nd December, around 1 AM...
No artificial lamps were enlightening the vast drawing hall of the great mansion, but the pale and soothing moonlight was enough for both of them to feel each other's touch. It was midnight, around 1 am, and the whole house, along with the whole village was deeply asleep. The soft, pale and dim moon of the night sky partially clouded, the sweet breeze, the soothing and peaceful environment of the night... but this night has a another face too... a face of a dreadful killer!
Both of their lips had been mingled with each-other for quite a long time forgetting that the clock is ticking in a constant pace... "Leave me now Jalal, let me go!" Jodha nudged him after quite a long time. "This is childish!"
"What to do, I was feeling restless! You are roaming in front of me in the whole evening, in such a wonderful shari and ornaments and I am even unable to touch you! Can you even feel my pain?" Jalal whispered.
"You're mad! What if anyone suspects us?" Jodha winked.
"What special will take place? Maximum your father will kick me out of the house... " Jalal smirked with indifference. "Waise bhi, he has already given me the ultimatum!"
"What?" Jodha was shocked. "So he was talking with you on that matter only? But he himself showed his interest about our relation and..."
"Huh!" Jalal smiled sadly. "Your father was trying to bribe ACP Jalal Khan!"
Jodha sighed, partially in frustration, partially in shame in front of her dutiful boyfriend. "I had doubt the day he showed as if he has no problem with our relationship. But... bribe? I mean what bribe?"
"Your father wanted to make a deal with me. He told he is going to make you the heiress of all properties, and hence I will get the whole kingdom along with the princess... if only I do some silly-mistakes while submitting the charge-sheet of recent case of Bhiwandi's Woman Trafficking racket. Huhh!" He gave a sarcastic look to her, which made Jodha sigh again, this time deeply than last time. "Bhiwandi's woman-trafficking... Someswar Singh... I... I should have understood first...But... Papa..."
"You have no fault... you didn't know it..." Jalal touched Jodha's shoulder. "Anyways, cheer up darling! I am going to leave tomorrow- after this offer I can't stay here a day more you know it... so this is the last night..." He clenched her waist... "Lag jaa gale ki fir yeh haseen raat ho na ho, sayad iss janam me mulaat ho na ho..."
"O ho ho... as if I am going to stay here for the rest of my life leaving you and your nasty city!" Jodha pinched him, Jalal made face and was about to resist Jodha's protest by gripping her in his arms, but he could not...
There was someone very near to them. A dark silhouette, almost mingled in the darkness of the night, was slowly coming towards the staircase, the place where they had sat... Measured, cautious steps like a cat, the shadow was coming nearer... and the face became clearer when the light of pale moon fell on that.
"Maa?" Jodha readily had left Jalal's hand and stood up. "You here, at this late of night?"
The lady was shocked all of a sudden, but she managed to balance herself. "Jodha? Jalal? You two? What you are doing here now?"
"Nothing Aunty. Just... sleep was not coming so was chatting together..." Jalal tried to manage the situation. "But you at this late of night? Any problem?"
"O no... not at all!" She chuckled. "I got slept in your Dadi's room while massaging her feet. Now am going to my room!" She looked at the corridor worriedly just after that and uttered quite unmindfully. "Surya was telling he is angry and does not want anyone near him... God knows if he has slept or not!"
"Papa is angry? And Surya told you this? When?" Jodha asked.
"Yes... I mean, I didn't notice his face but who else would be there? Just when the load-shedding started, around 12 may be... the hall was empty and I was about to go to my room after arranging everything in kitchen, I saw him walking around the corridor of the first floor, and he told me that your father has forbidden to get in... so I thought to meet Maaji, and got asleep there..."
"Oh! Then you go..." Jodha told, Jalal got up from the stair on which they both were sitting to give her space, and she just had stepped one, a sudden heart-wrenching scream changed the whole scenario very frequently.
"What happened, Kaki? What happened?" Jodha rushed inside the room of Nirmala. Nirmala was on the bed, shaking Sukanya restlessly, and Sukanya looking at her mother with listless, wordless eyes.
"Look what she was going to do Jodha!" Nirmala suddenly broke into wailing in Jodha's arm. Jalal came forward and got the clearer picture. A flap of tablets is lolling on the bed-sheet with two loose tablets here and there... a glass of water is also lolling aside resulting the bed to wet for no reason. He picked up the flap and frowned deeply. "You were trying to commit suicide?"
Sukanya remained silent, but her mother started crying terribly. Meanwhile all the family members of ground floor have got up. Shivani, the maid Sabitri, even Daadi too had broken into the room. "What did she do?" Shivani cried! "O GOD!!"
"What happened??" Radhika and Jaymal Singh peeped in. Behind him Bhagwant and Mohini was standing outside the room. Maan was too there. The sudden chaos at the midnight had broken everyone's peaceful sleep. Bhagwant Singh seemed mostly irritated. He straight came in front of Sukanya and slapped her. "Enough of your drama! Shameless girl!" He shouted. "Really! God knows how many dramas we are yet to see in this house..." Radhika commented as a footnote. "Stop it." Jalal held Bhagwant's hand which was again being raised to slap her once again. "This is not a solution. She is already disturbed; she needs help from you people."
"Stop Bhagwant, our new Son-in-law, ACP sahab has ordered you after all!" Jaymal Singh taunted in his screechy voice. Jalal was vastly irritated, still he managed to ignore him completely and sat before Sukanya... "Are you mad? You were trying to finish your life???"
"I know... even death will not touch me now!" Sukanya uttered in an almost muted voice.
"Stop this nonsense Sukanya!" Jodha shouted. "You have a whole life ahead... you can't end it on your own for some silly reason! Remember your life is yours; none is worth of snatching it from you... Neither the person you love the most, nor the person whom you hate the most."
Overlapping the twisted comments of Mohini, angry rants of Bhagwant, Jaimal and sob of Nirmala suddenly Sukanya's hard cry wetted the air. "I will not be able to live this way Maa! I will die Didi... I will really die Dadi... please make Tauji understand Didi... please..." she continued crying vulnerably.
"I will take you Mumbai along with me, Ok? None will be able to give your marriage forcefully!" Jodha told in a raised voice. "Now stop crying and get rid of these silly thoughts. Go to sleep!" She looked at the others standing with taunting face. "And you people too, nothing has happened. You may go now!"
Nirmala sat beside Sukanya and hugged her wiping her tears. "Alright now... Everyone go to sleep. We will talk tomorrow about this. Come on everyone, go... Good Night." Meenakshi ordered in a mild yet powerful tone and turned back to go to her room upstairs. Though none was in mood to carry out her orders... Radhika and Mohini started discussing right there, Bhagwant started complaining to his father in nagging voice, Jodha started clearing the bed-sheet in swift hand and ordering Sabirti, Dadi slowly got out of the room in a too much sloth, hopeless pace. Shivani and Maan was standing mum near the door, "Shivani, go and ask maa to come for once..." Jodha suddenly called Shivani and she rushed to Meenakshi's path.
A whole minute did not pass, the whole Singh mansion trembled again with another terrified scream... the dreadful night had shown its colour!
"Tauji!!!!!!!!!!!!" The wailing of Shivani stormed through the corridor and stairs; and they ran towards the source of the voice... Jalal came first, and got the hugest shock of the life! He entered into the room before everyone follows him... Shivani was just in front of the entrance of Bharmal's room, kneeling down with covering eyes with palm and shivering in terror! "Hey Shivani... what happened? What??" Mohini sat beside her and started shaking her. She broke down into wailing in her arms, murmuring same words repeatedly... "Surya Bhaiya... Surya Bhaiya killed him!!"
The next scene inside the room was so unexpected that a current of tremor flowed through everyone's spine... Mr. Bharmal Singh is half-lied on the armchair, with the head tilted at right side as if he is sleeping; and a knife, a handle of knife is peeping out from his chest, while the sharp blade of the knife has pierced in the left of his chest and took out his life!
And Meenakshi is lying unconscious on his feet...
CID
Bigg Boss 19
