*From & To Sathish* - Thread 4 - Page 143

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWYh8CKoDp0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTe-LIsw2a0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z51Fn1zJ49o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkK_0O5PAWw

Vaanathai Pola 288

Raman had not offered any words of consolation to the desolate wife of the missing Brigadier Prakash Malhotra although he felt her pain and had instead stood watching Major Param doing his best to cheer her up.

Saakshi Malhotra wiped her eyes and forcing a smile thanked both of them and apologized for not offering them anything to eat or drink.

Major Param got up and Raman followed suit and heard him say, ' Ma'am, we will take you up on that offer after we have found the Brigadier and have returned him safely to you.

Raman's eyes lingered on Mrs Malhotra as stood at the gate watching them leave and probably calling up all the Gods she worshipped, beseeching them to return her husband safely back to her.

Sinking his head into the headrest of the seat, he mumbled, ' Sad and heartbreaking, Major Param.'

Param nodded, ' Yes, Raman, and there is nothing to be done about it but do our best and get her husband back.

He looked at Raman whose eyes seemed to be searching for something and enquired softly, ' A penny for your thoughts and a vault too for that look, boss. What's on your mind?'

Raman turned slowly and looked at Param, ' what did you feel when you heard her say that she felt that her husband, the missing Brigadier is in trouble?'

' Nothing. A bit sad and troubled but then that is the lay of the land and we have to accept that a wife will say those sort of things and shouldn't spend too much time on that and just get on doing what we have to do.'

' Major, it is the lay of the land for you but it is all very new for me. It was not just what Mrs Malhotra said it but the way she said it.'

' Raman, it does not work out well in our line if one gets too emotionally involved with the job on hand. Distance yourself and look at the case and treat the witnesses as a pathologist would do when he or she is dealing with a cadaver while performing a post-mortem.'

Raman closed his eyes and he stayed like that for a few moments and then he opened them and looking at Param, ' You are right Major but you are also wrong. I think the Brigadier is in serious trouble and we have to up the ante starting now.'

Catching sight of a Cafe day coming towards them, Raman requested the driver to pull over and looked at param and said, ' A cup of coffee and we will talk more and in detail.'

It was 11.45 am and since lunch hour crowd usually flocked in after 1.00 pm or so, the place was still nearly vacant but for a few couples whose ages were anywhere between 15 and 20 or a little more, Raman thought and then ordered two regular namma madras filter coffees and a plate of chicken cutlets to go with it.

He looked at the Laptop that Major Param had carried in from the car and asked him, ' I suppose you are going to show me the last known movements of the missing Brigadier.'

' well spotted and yes you are right. I have watched it more than a dozen times and have found nothing that offers a clue as to his disappearance or the reason behind it. Maybe, you can watch it and see if you can make any sense of it.'

Major Param switched on the la top and pressed the full-screen button and turned the screen towards Raman and said, ' These is the last known footage of Brigadier Prakash Malhotra as he exits his house and gets into a car that does not belong to him.'

Raman watched it and replayed it several times and then pausing the video, looked at Param who smiled and shook his head, ' Fake registration and that of a vehicle that was destroyed many years ago.'

' Param, this is footage from the street where the Brigadier lives and nothing more. What about the Citys CCTV footage and also footage from the Traffic department? I recently read somewhere that Chennai has the highest number of CCTV cameras per sq km followed by Hyderabad.'

Major Param placed his head on his right hand and looked at Raman with weary eyes, ' That is all we have of the car for it mysteriously vanished from sight the moment it exited the safety of the Defence Colony. '

Raman smiled and picking up his cup of coffee looked at it and then smiled again and took a long sip of it and looked at Param, ' I suppose you are now going to tell me that all the CCTV Cameras in this area mysteriously stopped working at the same time.'

Param's face went red with anger and frustration, ' Sherlock Holmes, if you are going to suppose me each and every time I finish then I suppose you can do the math and solve this crime which has no f..king motive at all.'

Raman nodded and was about to say something but Param continued, ' Nobody forced the Brigadier at Gun-point to get into the car and there was just a driver apart from him in that vehicle. He was not carrying anything, like a laptop, I-PAD and not even a folder or a file.'

' Okay, Then what could be the reason for his sudden and mysterious disappearance and I suppose you are going to tell me that he is gone into hiding or is on the run deliberately for some personal reason.

Param shook his head to indicate that he was not thinking that and after staring blankly at everything else but at Raman, he said, ' This is one of the strangest cases that I have worked on and you better believe me when I stress on the word strange. But, there is no clue here about what is going on and why it is going on and the best part is that there is no motive behind this mysterious disappearance of Brigadier Prakash Malhotra.

' Have you looked into his finances to see if there are any irregularities that might point us in the right direction?'

' Yes. That is usually the first place we start when we look at any high ranking officer for a sudden unexplained influx of money into a person's account or a change in his lifestyle usually means corruption and that in my line of work means the officer concerned has been turned into a double agent.'

Raman returned to watching the video of Brigadier Prakash Malhotra and asked Major Param, ' the vehicle he left in is a

high-end Mercedes Benz A-class saloon model and there must be what at the most a few dozen of them running around in the city.'

Major Param perked up, ' what are you hinting at?'

Tapping at the screen, ' This merc is not black but blue and so that narrows the search parameters down. So, we know that we are after a blue A-class merc and we can start there and expand from there. But....'

' But what Raman?'

' But, we need to see more CCTV camera footage before it is too late.'

' This is all there is of the Brigadier and him coming out of the house and getting into the car. Don't you remember me telling you just a few minutes ago that all the CCTV cameras stopped working right about the time the Brigadier was getting into the car and vanishing into thin air.'

' No, major. I don't believe in magic and tricks and surely you don't believe that a man and a whole car can vanish into thin air. Sorry, there are laws and rules of physics that must be followed. '

Major Param sighed and said, ' how do you suggest we go about that?'

Raman smiled and gave him the suggestions and Param stared at him in confusion, ' what, 24 hours of footage prior to and after that moment when Brigadier Prakash Malhotra went missing. why, what are we looking for?'

Raman smiled and got to his feet and said, ' I will tell you after I have seen the footage with my own eyes' and tapping the laptop,' this will not do major for the screen is too small and we might miss out on small but vital clues in the background. We need a larger screen, much larger than this which will enable us to see more and in detail.'

He pointed to Param's mobile, ' Make it happen major and it should happen now for time is our main and only ally and enemy and soon it will be too late.'

https://www.republicworld.com/india-news/general-news/chennai-has-highest-cctv-surveillance-in-the-world-hyderabad-assumes-second-spot.html#:~:text=Chennai%20has%20been%20recorded%20having%20the%20highest%20CCTV,report%20of%20SurfShark%2C%20a%20virtual%20private%20network%20%28VPN%29.

https://www.thehindu.com/data/chennai-has-the-highest-density-of-cctv-cameras-in-the-world-report/article33521134.ece

Vaanathai Pola 289

Radha Krishnan called Kavita and informed her that he was going back to The Flock to meet someone regarding something important and told her he would come by later and pick up the children and enquired if it was okay that they stay with her until his return.

Kavita told him that she had already left with the children and they were nearing Global hospitals and asked him if he wanted her to return back to her house and wait with the children for his return.

' You are there near the hospital anyway and does not make sense for you to go back home. Carry on and go and meet my mum and aunt for they will be happy to see you. I won't be long and I will meet you there.'

' Radhu does your mother know what has been happening with us and by that, I mean all that which took place in Madurai and the forest of Perumalvaram and...'

' No, Kavita. I haven't had the time to talk to her or tell her anything and includes our current and newly updated status as parents. Please, wait for me there and after I come back we both can tell her about it and at the same time seek her blessings and permission to get married.'

' Okay baby. I will see you when you get back here.'

' Kavita, about your parents. I just wanted you to know that I like them a lot and they are really kind and genuine souls. I see both your father and mother in you and it is beautiful. I love you. see you soon.'

It took him ten minutes to reach The Flock and getting out of Kavita's BMW, he opened the gates and drove in and shutting the gates behind him went in search of The Old man whose real name was Omar.

He finally found both of them near the Large Banyan tree which had been named " Shinogai" by his father and reaching them told The Old Man to get cracking on finding everything he could about Brigadier Prakash Malhotra.

Thangamani master surprised and at the same time was curious as to the reason why Radhu had mentioned the name asked him, ' Radhu, what is going on? Why are you going after Brigadier Prakash?'

Radhu hesitated with his reply and just as he was pondering what to say and what to withhold and glanced at his shadow called The Old man who nodded and with that approval and confirmation he explained to Thangamani master what was going on.

' The peon Shekar was placed here after my father was nearly killed for one reason and that was for information which he was supplying to Brigadier Prakash Malhotra. And just before Old man put a bullet in him, he confessed that he was indeed working for Brigadier Prakash Malhotra.

Thangamani master looked at Radhu with disbelief, ' But, that means he was somehow or even directly involved with the attack on our Brigadier sir. Impossible, for sir loved and treated Prakash like his own son. Traitor. How could he do this to our sir after so many years of working under him and being mentored by him?

' Traitor is the right word and is the very word my father is mumbling every hour or so.'

' But why would Prakash Malhotra do such a thing or even be involved in such heinous crime and why use the word Traitor, Radhu? '

' Not only traitor but mother and danger. My father might be in a coma but yet he mumbles these words from his soul and that must mean something very important and we need to find out what it is before it is too late. That is why I need to find this Prakash Malhotra immediately and wring out the truth from his treacherous soul.

Thangamani master stood shaking his head in wonder, ' Imagine to what extent your father, our boss must feel about our country and its security. He holds on grimly to life and hangs in a state of coma and is still trying to reach out and warn the outside world about something.'

Radhu smiled and Thangamani thought to himself, if death stood on two legs and smiled, it probably would like this man.

Radhu looked at both Thangamani master and The Old man, ' Along with the men who tried to kidnap me and kill me in the parking lot of Apollo hospitals and with the five who entered The Flock and add Shekar to it, the number goes up to 11 people who have been sent to kill me and all of you and that includes our children.'

The old man blew a huge plume of stinking beedi smoke and said, ' Puppy, don't forget that one who was sent to the hospital to kill your father, mother and aunt for that makes the total reach 12 and counting for I am sure they will keep coming and will not stop until they have achieved what they are after.'

Thangamani master looked at both of them and asked, ' Who has these kinds of resources at their disposal and why are they so motivated to eradicate all of us?'

' Traitor, my father has been repeatedly saying the same words again and again and that is where we will start from. The man who my father calls a traitor and the very same person who he thought of as his son, Brigadier Prakash Malhotra.'

His eyes blazed with the fury of a storm and he whispered like death, ' I am my father's son and that will do for now.'

Turning to the Old Man, ' Let's get to work for Time is running out.'

The Old Man smiled, ' yes my dear cub. Time is indeed running out for you and your mother and it won't be too long before they track you down and take you away.'

Radhu aka Radha Krishnan aka Adam Connors aka Ayan Ahmadi nodded, ' we will deal with that and them when we come to that bridge, Old Man. For now, let us finish the task on hand.'

Thangamani master stood under the tree called Shinogai and watched the two men head towards their quarters, wondering what was going on and who were tracking them down.

The Old man whose name is Omar is related to Shinogai, Radhu's Afghan mother and he is one who speaks very little, smokes a lot and kills more people than the number of beedis he smokes.

Refer to chapter 156 and 157 when Old man meets Thangamani master.

*From & To Sathish* - Thread 4 - Page 146 | Sensational South

high on life

There must be a blueprint or at least an early design of what It was going to create before all hell broke loose.

It, means, God in my lingo, for my own jury is still out debating if God is male, female or ..... I am sorry to say that My God is different in my head than what you think of It in your head.

Whenever my head and heart are swollen with pride, ego and arrogance, I stop breathing and look up at the sky, regardless of it being a day blue or a night black.

The day sun and a faint moon remind me how petty and insignificant I am and like air rushing out from a balloon, all that ego and arrogance recede away leaving behind a smiley face and a goofy talker.

What is that? what do you mean by that? Are you f..king smoking ganja early in the morning? That's it, you sly fox, that is why you get up early in the morning and write such vague and psycho stuff... You might just think that and that I am crazy.

No. Sorry to disappoint you and I am sorry that I am forced to use that cliched statement " I am high on life " as my counter.

High? how? I don't know how but that is how I feel most times when I tell myself that " This too shall pass and fail."

Highs, lows, good, bad, joy, sorrow. Yes, my fellow souls, all shall pass.

So, when low, wait for that next big high wave that is around the corner and ride it and crest its top and scream " I am here, right now and if not okay it will be okay, soon."

The other day, I thought of IT ( GOD) and began chatting with It.

It- how goes it, Chimp?

minny me- whaat? what was that?

It- I said, how goes it Champ?

minny me Mumbling- and they called me adhigaprasangi when before me stands the original one. father and mother of that kingdom.

IT- So, all well, the tv serial is doing well I suppose.'

minny me- I suppose that your " I suppose" has some hidden meaning...?

IT-honestly chimp, sorry champ. no hidden meanings.

We sat as an uncomfortable and fully pregnant pause filled the air between us and then I used my head and rolled my eyes to indicate that large trunk that lay in the corner and which I had caught sight of IT fiddling with Just as I turned the corner and asked, ' What boss, packing or unpacking?

IT- Neither just rummaging and trying to put things back into the trunk.'

Minny me- I have that problem all the time and each time I shift house.

IT- sorry chimp, I mean champ..

I raise both my hands and said, ' Hold on God, what's with this chimp name-calling and that too in my face.

IT smirked nastily and replied boldly and arrogantly, ' well, champ you and chimp share nearly 98.8 per cent of the same DNA and sometimes I get confused with both of you and hence... chimp champ'

I looked It, the entity called God and shook my head, ' F..k. my bad time that I have to meet this spirit when it is either drunk or high.

It asked me what I was thinking and I took my time and asked, ' God, you are my creator right?'

God nodded head happily and said in a booming voice, ' yes. of course, I am the one, the creator.'

I pondered, dwelled and then said, ' well answer me this and make me understand it better. If me and the chimp share 98.8 per cent of the same DNA, how much of the same DNA do you and I share?

I looked at God, ' Just wondering for you created everything and that means all our DNA came for you and that means.....

IT GOD thundered- means what.... chimp, sorry champ

I, minny me- simple, it means that you are the father and mother chimp and I am just your by-product and a part of your creation and so that in the end means that you are just another monkey like me.

HAAAAAAHAAAAAAA.

Needless to say, I spent the next million years in another realm born as a pig wallowing in crap.

But hey, even the pig came from that Big It, and so, It too is a pig along with the chimp, sorry Champ.

Good Morning. I wish you a beautiful day.

If you liked my weird sense of humour I will no say, put like, press subscribe but will ask one thing, demand it of you.

Be happy. Dwell on it that all things are momentary. Even life and yes even love.

So, when low, wait for that next big high wave that is around the corner and ride it and crest its top and scream " I am here, right now and if not okay it will be okay, soon."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A72MAMTVnQo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1ck8z9TVLM

AVAN-2

A strong crosswind suddenly gusted across the dry fields and Ravi saw a dust devil come alive in the distance and he stood watching it thinking, ' air and earth touch and caress and come together as one and give birth to a dust devil.'

The dust devil danced, spinning like a figure skater and as the wind died down, it too slowly collapsed to the ground and laid itself down on the field back to where it had risen up from.

Ravi slowly placed his right hand on his heart and pressed it with force and whispered, ' I will wait. I don't know when you will come back and if I will ever see you again. But, I will wait and wait as long as there is life in me for even this waiting, painful as if maybe, is worth it. For I am better for having known you, loved you and I would suffer this same pain and fate a million times over rather than live a life without having known you. Good night princess. I hope and pray that you are safe and happy. Bye for now. See you tomorrow morning.'

The sudden gust of crosswind had swept away the song as if had begun another birth and now in the silence it danced and made its way through the air and found its destiny and destination which was Ravi Kumar's soul and the memories it treasured.

Raasaathi unna kaannadha nenju

Kaathaadi polaadudhu

Raasaathi unna kaannadha nenju

Kaathaadi polaadudhu

Pozhudhaagi pochu

Velakethiyaachu

Ponmaanae onna theduthu

Raasaathi unna kaannadha nenju

Kaathaadi polaadudhu

Muthappan and Kanagam stopped their chatting and bickering the moment they saw their headmaster heading towards them and hurriedly getting to their feet and greeted him with folded hands and said " Vanakkam sir." He stopped and after returning their greetings looked at the radio and then looked at them, and said, ' Magic. Beautiful magic.'

Kanagam's education qualification was a measly fifth std just pass from a Tamil Medium school but like most people around the world with similar qualifications, she too was privy to some of the most common English words that peppered all native languages and that included, Hello, Good morning, Super, cool, road, etc and magic too was a word well known to her and before she could stop it she burst out laughing and remarked, ' Iyaa, what is magic about this old, battered radio that is probably older than me and my husband?'

Watchman Muthappan's heart and entire body quailed in fear and he hurriedly turned and glared at his wife and shushed her violently.

' Donkey, uneducated donkey. Is this how you speak to, sir? Shut your trap and be quiet.'

The look that Ravi gave Muthappan was a mild glance but that instantly shut him up and then he admonished him in his soft but deep voice.

' Muthu, what is this? How can you insult a lady and that too your wife before another person? What has your wife done to deserve such an outburst from you?'

Muthappan hung his head in shame and staring at the ground on which he stood on, whispered mildly, ' Iyaa, Neenga yaaru. You are not only the headmaster of this school but our family's benefactor. I am sorry but I cannot stand by and watch and listen to someone question you and it matters not even if it is my wife.'

' Muthu, I appreciate your loyalty towards me but please remember that even loyalty has its limits and there is a decorum as to how to go about displaying it?

Kanagam's eyes opened wide and she enquired, ' Iyaa, you said it correctly. My husband has no drum at all and constantly makes noise like an empty drum.'

Ravi Kumar stared at her confusedly and with a smile accompanied by the shake of his head said, ' amma, drum ille, decorum. It means that a person should always behave properly and speak appropriately regardless of the situation he or she is in.'

Ravi smiled and pointing to the radio, ' Kanagamma, a little box with a tiny speaker, powered by two tiny batteries and yet here it is performing for us. If that isn't magic then...'

Muthappan was very weak in maths and yet he attempted to count using his ten fingers, the number of times, Ravi sir had spoken to him about matters not concerning work and about matters concerning life and leisure.

He looked at him, ' Sir, this radio has been playing at this very time and every day for many a year now. I hope it is not loud or disturbing.'

Ravi shook his head, ' No, it does not disturb me. This is your house and this is your time and you are free to do what you want and listen to what you like but... as long as it does not hurt or disturb anyone and does not come in the way of you performing your duties to this school.'

Kanagam slipped her question into the conversation, ' Illa iyaa, what Muthappan is asking is why have you stopped today of all days when you have passed by our house all these twenty years?'

Ravi smiled, ' this song is my favourite for many reasons but the most important one is because the film in which this song comes is the first film that I saw on big screen' and turning away looked into the distance and thought to himself, ' the first film that I ever saw in a theatre but importantly the first time I saw her and thought to myself, that angels and Goddesses do walk on earth.'

Subbudu interviews T N Seshan

மாபெரும் விமரிசனக் கலைஞர் சுப்புடு, அதிரடி நடவடிக்கைகளுக்கு பேர் போன டி.என்.சேஷன் அவர்களைப் பேட்டி கண்டதில் ஒரு சில பகுதி...

சேஷன் பேட்டிகள் கொடுப்பதில்லை. என்னவோ தெரியவில்லை, நான் குமுதம் பெயரைச் சொல்லி கேட்டதும், "நாளைக் காலை சென்னை செல்கிறேன் உடனே வரமுடியுமா?" என்று பதில் அளித்தார்.

அஞ்சா நெஞ்சர், எதற்கும் வளைந்து கொடுக்க மாட்டார். அவரால் முடியவும் முடியாது. அப்படி ஒரு உடல்வாகு. அவருக்கு மண்டைக் கனம் உண்டு என்கிறார்கள். வாஸ்தவம். அவர் தொண்டையும் கனம்தான். தோளும் தொப்பையும் அப்படியே. ஆனால் மடியில் 'கனம்' கிடையாது. கீதையைப் தலைகீழாக ஒப்பிப்பார். அதுதான் அவருடைய ஆசான்.

கடமை, கண்ணியம், கட்டுப்பாடு அதுதான் அவர் வாழ்க்கையின் குறிக்கோள். பன்மொழி வல்லுனர். வீட்டில் பேசுவது தலையாளம். அதாவது தமிழ் கலந்த மலையாளம். ஆனால் அவர் மேடையில் பேசும்போது கன்னித் தமிழ். சுற்றி வளைக்காமல் நேரே விஷயத்துக்கு வந்து விடுவார்.

பேட்டி துவங்கலாமா?

சுப்புடு: இந்த பிடிவாத குணம், சுய கட்டுப்பாடு உங்களுக்குச் சிறுவயதில் இருந்தே உண்டா?

சேஷன்: ஆமாம், நான் காபி, ஐஸ்கிரீம் பிரியன். அரை மணிக்கு ஒருதரம் நான் காபி சாப்பிட வேண்டும். திடீரென்று ஒரு நாள் எனக்கு வைராக்கியம் பிறந்தது. "சீ, கேவலம் காபிக்கு அடிமையா? என் கண்முன் நில்லாதே," என்று ஒரு மங்கம்மா சபதம். இன்றுவரை காபி, மூச்! ஐஸ்கிரீமும் அப்படியே. இப்போது Ice Cream கிடையாது. அதற்கு பதில் 'You Scream' என்று எல்லோரையும் அழ வைக்கிறேன்.

சுப்புடு: இதே பிடிவாதத்தை நீங்கள் மாவட்ட கலெக்டராய் இருந்த போதும் கடைப் பிடித்தீர்களா?

சேஷன்: அது பிறவி குணம் அல்லவா? நான் மதுரையில் இருந்த போது காஷ்மீர சிங்கம் ஷேக் அப்துல்லா கொடைக்கானலில் காவலில் வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்தார். அங்கு நான் சென்றிருந்தேன். என்னைக் கண்டதும் சிங்கம் கர்ஜித்தது. "நீ என் கடிதங்களை எல்லாம் தணிக்கை செய்கிறாயாமே! நான் நேருஜிக்கு இதைப் பற்றி எழுதப் போகிறேன்" என்றது. நான் சொன்னேன்: "அதையும் தணிக்கை செய்வேன்." சிங்கத்தின் முகம் அசிங்கமாகிவிட்டது.

சுப்புடு: இவ்வளவு கெடுபிடியான நீங்கள்- யாருக்கும் அஞ்சாத நீங்கள்- எம்.ஜி.ஆரிடம் எப்படி காலம் தள்ளினீர்கள்?

சேஷன்: நான் எங்கே தள்ளினேன்! அவர் என்னைத் தள்ளி விட்டார். நான் தொழில் துறை காரியதரிசியாக இருந்தேன். யாரோ ஒரு நபருக்கு லைசென்ஸ் வழங்கச் சொன்னார். நான் சட்டப்படி முடியாது என்றேன். "அப்படியானால் கோப்பை உடனே என்னிடம் அனுப்பவும்" என்று உத்தரவிட்டார். பிறகென்ன, நான் அந்த இலாகாவிலிருந்து விவசாய இலாகாவுக்கு மாற்றப்பட்டேன். அதைப்பற்றிக் கவலைப்படவில்லை. (மறுபடியும் கீதை) "எந்த வேலையாய் இருந்தாலும் அதைப் பற்று இல்லாமல் செய். பலனை எதிர்பார்க்காதே." அவ்வளவு தான்.

இதில் வேடிக்கை என்னவென்றால் தொழில் துறை இலாகா மேலே 13வது மாடியில் இருந்தது. விவசாய இலாகா கீழே முதல் மாடி. என்னை கீழே இறக்கிவிட்டதில் எம்.ஜி.ஆருக்கு அப்படி ஒரு மகிழ்ச்சி இருந்திருக்கலாம்.

அதேசமயம், 9 மாதங்கள் கழித்து மதுரையில் கலெக்டர்கள் மாநாடு நடைபெற்றது. அதில் எம்.ஜி.ஆர் பேசுகையில், "திரு.சேஷன் அவர்கள் பேசும்போது கண்களை மூடிக்கொண்டு கேட்க வேண்டும். ஏனெனில் அவர் அழுத்தம் திருத்தமாய்க் கூறும்போது சற்றே பயம் உண்டாகும். கண்ணை மூடிக் கொண்டு கேட்டால் அவர் பேசுவது சத்தியம் என்று தெரியும்" என்றார். பொன்மனச் செம்மல் என்று அவரைச் சும்மாவா சொன்னார்கள்.

சுப்புடு: ஒருமுறை நீங்கள் அலுவலகத்தில் இருந்து வீடு திரும்பும் போது, உங்கள் பின்னால் வந்த மற்றொரு கார், உங்கள் காரைத் தாண்டிச் செல்ல முயன்றதாகவும், நீங்கள் உங்கள் பாதுகாப்பாளரிடம் 'சுட்டுத் தள்ளு' என்று உத்தர விட்டதாகவும் ஒரு பிரபல செய்தி ஸ்தாபனம் அறிவித்து இருந்ததே. நீங்கள் ஏன் மறுக்கவில்லை.?

சேஷன்: சும்மா விடுவேனா? அந்த ஸ்தாபனத்தின் மீது ஒரு கோடி ரூபாய்க்கு மானநஷ்ட வழக்கு தொடர்ந்திருக்கிறேன். அதற்குண்டான ஸ்டாம்ப் கட்டணமாக ஒரு லட்சம் ரூபாயை நானே கைவிட்டுக் கொடுத்திருக்கிறேன். சர்க்கார் கஜானாவில் கை வைக்கவில்லை.

சுப்புடு: நீங்கள் உடனே மறுப்பு தெரிவித்து இருக்கலாமே?

சேஷன்: அதில் பயனொன்றுமில்லை. நான் செய்யாததைப் போடுவார்கள். செய்ததைத் சொல்ல மாட்டார்கள். இதுபற்றி பாராளுமன்றத்தில் கேள்வி வந்தபோது, அது பற்றி முழு உண்மை விளக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது. ஒரு பத்திரிகையும் அதைப் போடவில்லை.

சுப்புடு: அரசியல்வாதிகளை விரோதித்துக் கொள்வது அனுசிதம் என்று படவில்லையா?

சேஷன்: நான் அவர்களை விரோதித்துக் கொள்வதில்லை. The ball is in their court. அழாக்குறையாக என்னிடம் வராத அரசியல்வாதிகளை விரல் விட்டு எண்ணி விடலாம். தோப்புக்கரணம் போடாத தோஷம்தான். அவர்களுக்கெல்லாம் என்னுடைய ஒரே பதில், "சட்டப்படி சத்தியம் தவறாமல் என் கடமையைச் செய்வேன்" என்பதுதான். அது அவர்களுக்குக் கோபம் ஊட்டி விடுகிறது. இவ்வளவு பெரிய தேசத்தில் பல கோடி வாக்காளர்கள் இருக்கிறார்கள். என்னால் முடிந்தவரை, இதுவரை மலிந்து கிடந்த சீர்கேடுகளைத் திருத்தி வருகிறேன். அது அவ்வளவு எளிதான காரியம் அல்ல. அராஜகம் தலைவிரித்து ஆடுகிறது. அரசியல்வாதிகள் ஆதங்கவாதிகள் (Terrorist)ஆகிவிட்டார்கள். அரசியல் பெயரில் கொலைக்குக்கூடத் தயங்குவது இல்லை. இவற்றையெல்லாம் சீர்திருத்த முயலும்போது எதிர்ப்புகள் வரும். ஆண்டவன் சித்தம் எப்படி இருக்கிறதோ, அப்படி நடக்கும்.

அவரது மனைவி திருமதி ஜெயலட்சுமி சேஷன், ஆவி பொங்கும் பில்ட்டர் காபி கொண்டு வருகிறார்கள். தேவாமிர்தமாக இருக்கிறது.

"இஞ்சி சர்பத் அப்புறம் தரட்டுமா?" என்று கேட்கிறார்கள்.

நான் வெளிக்கு அடாவடியாய், அசட்டு தைரியத்துடன் கேள்வி கேட்டுக்கொண்டு இருந்தேனேயொழிய, உள்ளூர உதறல், எந்த நிமிடம் சேஷன், அல்சேஷன் ஆவார் என்று சொல்ல முடியாது. ஏற்கனவே இஞ்சி தின்ற குரங்கு போல் உட்கார்ந்து கொண்டிருந்தேன். அதற்கு மேல் இஞ்சி சர்பத் சாப்பிட்டு விட்டால்

கேட்கவே வேண்டாம்.

பேட்டி முடிந்தது. மூச்சு சீராக வர ஆரம்பித்து விட்டது. 'தேங்க் யூ' என்று சொல்லி விட்டு கேட்டை நோக்கி ஓட்டம்.

இவரைப் போல முதுகெலும்புள்ள ஒரு 50 அதிகாரிகள் இருந்து விட்டால் தேசத்தைப் பிடித்திருக்கும் ஊழல் பிசாசு ஒழியும்

Vaanathai Pola 290

Sub-Inspector Baburaj, crime branch, J 10, Police station walked into his superior's office and after placing the files on the table that he had carried in, saluted him and enquired about the Inspector's health.

Inspector Rajarajan looked like a pig, walked like a pig, ate like a pig and now true to his character, grunted like a pig and since he and everyone else in the station were well versed in the Inspector's ways and his uncouth behaviour, SI Baburaj said nothing and stood still waiting for his senior to make the move.

Inspector Rajarajan was of average height, but his size and girth were not average but way beyond average, for his belly was huge and protruded far away from his body and he knew it and he also knew that others knew it and made fun of him. But, like water of pigs back, he went about his life totally unconcerned about his weight and the thoughts of the outside world about him.

If the looks of a pig and its ways best described Inspector Rajarajan, then the English Phrase " snout in the trough" best encapsulated his career as a Police officer.

snout in the trough-Make ample use of opportunities afforded by one’s position in order to benefit oneself, especially financially.

Inspector Rajarajan had supposedly been sick and on medical leave for a week and had just returned to duty and I use the word supposedly for he had neither been sick nor had stayed home. Instead, the Pigman had flown to Goa for god only knows what and I leave the whats to your Imagination. ( readers imagination).

Inspector Rajarajan looked at the several files that SI Baburaj had placed on his table and looked at him and grunted and snarled, ' What is this? are you trying to kill me by swamping me with so many files and that too, today which happens to be my first day back on duty?'

Sub-Inspector Baburaj knew the Pig Inspector very well and replied in a respectful tone, ' Sir, all you have to do is take a peek and sign off on the documents for I have taken care of everything else.'

Inspector Rajarajan grunted, ' taken care means, what SI?'

Sub-Inspector Baburaj hurriedly shook his head, ' I meant all the bookings, complaints and FIR'S Sir and nothing else. As per your orders, Head Constable Paraman has been doing what you asked him to do before you went on your medical leave.'

Inspector Pigman, Rajarajan grunted even more and he again snarled at SI Baburaj, ' don't be coy and cute with me SI. You are an idiot and don't know how to make money and think that duty and responsibility should always be a police man's motto.'

Picking out a cigarette from the 555 pack, he lit it up and smiled although it was even nastier looking than his pig snarl and said, ' No smoking in effect in all police stations and I care a f..k about it.'

Pointing to the CCTV camera inside his room, he continued, ' That has been on the blink for nearly a month now and so I am safe from the vigilance wing.'

Sub-Inspector Baburaj waited patiently as Inspector Rajarajan huffed and puffed on his expensive cigarette and thought to himself, ' God truly is a joker and has a morbid and weird sense of right and wrong. Young kids and innocent souls suffer and die every day due to cancer while Ar..ho..s like this Ba..a.d continue to exist. Truly this is Kali kaalam like my mother used to tell me when she was alive and before she too passed on due to liver cancer.'

Inspector Rajarajan grunted and looking at SI Baburaj, remarked sarcastically, ' SI, I know you are thinking about me this very moment. You are wondering how and why I am still alive in spite of my chainsmoking and with all my bad habits.'

Baburaj shook his head and replied honestly, at least half of it for it was the truth.

' Illa sir, I was just thinking about my mother who died due to liver cancer and I was just worried about your health and lungs.'

' SI, Don't lie and don't pretend to be concerned about me. My biggest concern is that you and a few others in this station refuse to take bribes and share the weekly collections which come to the station.'

' Sir, I have no opinion or thoughts about what you and the others do with your time and duty and I repeat once again that I am not a snitch and will never betray my fellow officers. But, I will not accept a single rupee of bribe. Sorry sir, but that is me and only me.'

Inspector Rajarajan burped loudly and for a moment Baburaj wondered if the Inspector was bellowing in pain due to the onset of a sudden heart attack and hoped it was so, but alas sadly it was the Pig's burp that rivalled his grunt.

He watched the pig as it grounded the stub of the 555 cigarette into an ashtray and then hide the ashtray in the bottom drawer. Then it looked up and quickly went through the files and then stopped at one file and whistled loudly.

' Global hospitals' and with that said, he pushed the other files away and picking it up quickly scanned the details of what had happened that early morning and looked up and grunted at Sub-Inspector Baburaj who began to explain in detail about the case and what he had deducted from the incident.

Inspector Pigrajan, sorry, Rajarajan grunted and nodded enthusiastically and lit up another 555 cigarette and slammed his hand loudly on the file, ' SI, this is the first good thing that you have done while working under me and which is that you have yet to file an FIR about this case.'

SI Baburaj looked at his Inspector with confusion, ' Sorry sir, but what do you mean by that.'

Inspector Pigrajan guffawed loudly and said, ' No FIR. No case.'

Totally flummoxed, Baburaj stood wondering what the Inspector was going on about and then it hit him and he winced and thought to himself, ' Crap, the fat bas...d is going to try and make some money out of this case. OMG! Only you know what he is going to do and how he is going to mess things up.'

Inspector Rajarajan ( Pigrajan) got to his feet and grunted at SI Baburaj,' go about your patrol while I and Head constable Paraman go and see what can be done about this case concerning Global hospitals.'

After the Inspector had left the station with Paraman, SI Baburaj turned and looked at Constable Pallavan who smirked and whispered, Boss, let the pig and his dog go ahead and do their thing.'

Sub-Inspector Baburaj looked at him and Constable Pallavan coming closer, whispered even softly, ' Have you forgotten who the security chief of Global Hospitals is?'

Sub-Inspector Baburaj smiled and said, ' Mr Jayaprakash, retired Additional superintendent of Police, crime branch, Vellore.'

But, both good and bad policemen were totally unaware and clueless that there were far more scarier people currently inside Global hospitals than the retired ASP Jayaprakash.

Please read again if needed chapter 166 and chapter 173

chapter 166

Chennai 5.30 Am

With 8.00 am still two and a half hours away and for their night shift to end, Kali Muthu and Senthil, two of the Global Hospital security men decided to take a Cigarette break and slowly slinked away like jackals to the rear portion of the hospital and lit their cancer sticks in the still dark of a new dawn.

The rear portion of the hospital was always dimly lit and also rarely visited even during the day but for the vehicles that came twice to take away the garbage and also the ones that kept the hospital supplied with all that it needed.

Senthil deciding that he would use this time to also take a leak, headed towards the bathroom and had not walked a few feet when he found himself slipping and even before he realized it, he landed heavily on his Non-existent backside.

Kali Muthu's reaction was a very normal one and he burst out laughing and after a few seconds spent in mocking his colleague, hurried to help him up and then stopped short of putting his hand out and looked hard at the dark pool of water that did not appear to be water and asked, 'Senthil, is that blood that you are sitting in?'

Senthil, whose lips were still hard at work at puffing his freshly lit cigarette, brought his hands up and then smelt them and squeaked in fear, ' Kali, you are right. It does look like blood. But, what is blood doing here when our hospital disposal site and incinerators are on the other side of the building.'

Kali Muthu did not waste time and immediately called his senior and the hospital's security chief Jaya Prakash, who arrived in seconds and taking one look confirmed that it was indeed blood that Senthil had slipped and fallen on.

Jayaprakash called the control room and asked them to switch on all the available lights for the rear portion of the hospital. He waited along with Kali and Senthil and the waiting felt more like twenty minutes when in reality it took only twenty seconds for the lights to come one and to illuminate everything.

Four floors above them, Shinogai came awake and ready for a new day and also totally prepared for what might come her way.

The Old man had called her late in the night and had informed her that he was only able to remove the body of the killer who had entered their room, masquerading as Dr Nilesh Bhatti and nothing more given the place and the omnipresent threat of being found out.

It took just a few brief moments for Global Hospitals security chief Jayaprakash to see, read and understand the scene that lay in front of him and his instincts immediately forced his eyes up, up and above at the sheer face of the six-floor hospital wall that was dotted with windows and ended at the rooftop.

A retired police officer, he had seen many cases of jumpers who had jumped, alive and breathing but had fallen to death with their final breath and had also seen in many of those whose sad cases of suicides, the person taking his final breath and had also seen the lights go out as life and soul abandoned the dead body.

He looked at both the security men, ' Kali, Senthil, go to your quarters and remain there and don't go home without my permission and no more cigarette breaks. If I find that you have not followed my orders, then it will be the last time you step foot into the hospital.'

Vaanathai Pola 173

Global Hospitals, Sholinganallur falls under the Jurisdiction of the J 10, Police station and it was here the call from Jayaprakash was placed to and was answered by Sub-Inspector Baburaj who said he would be there in a few minutes.

True to his word, SI Baburaj along with a few constables landed at Global hospitals and were quickly escorted to the rear portion where the large bloodstain had been found.

Jayaprakash, the hospital's security head stood at a distance and watched the SI and constables examine the stain and knew that they were a wee bit out of their depth and said with assurance, ' It is human blood and a rare type at that.'

Sub-Inspector Baburaj exchanged a knowing glance at the security chief, ' Looks like you have done your homework and it is also obvious that you are from the department and not from the army.'

' Yes, a long time ago but now I am just a civilian, sir.'

SI Baburaj raised his left eyebrow slightly, ' I beg to differ for once a cop, always a cop and you remain with those instincts until you die.'

Jayaprakash asked him to follow him and pointed to a watch that lay broken near the far side of the wall and then knelt to the ground and pointed to a few teeth that lay around them and then pointed to a soft, mushy kind of object that looked like a pillow but was not for it had straps and pillows don't have straps.

Sub-Inspector Baburaj shook his head and told his constables, ' Guys, you keep complaining that all our police station does is solve minor quarrels at the Tasmac shops and book petty cases regarding drunken driving and pissing in public. Now, it appears that we have a real mystery on our hands to solve.'

Constable Pallavan cursed, ' sir, what case are you talking about? There is nothing here. No, body here and all we have is a small pool of blood, a few teeth and a watch' and pointing to the soft, foamy beige colour object, ' and that looks like someone pillow that they may use if one is suffering from back pain.'

SI Baburaj looked at Jayaprakash, ' The constable's observations are true and what are we supposed to do without a body and what case should I file an FIR under.'

The hospital's security head Jayaprakash looked at all the three policemen and asked, ' Is that all you see down here when the actual case surely began up there' and looking up and pointing to the building, ' the body that is not here has been removed and only its traces have been left behind.'

SI Baburaj felt a migraine coming on and rubbing his forehead said, ' Please, let us not jump to conclusions and let us not let our imaginations run away from us.'

He took a deep breath and looked at Jayaprakash and asked, ' what was your posting when you retired?'

' ASP, Vellore. Additional superintendent of Police, crime branch.'

They were not even aware of it and it came out of training and all three immediately saluted Jayapraksh who very humbly requested them to relax and reminded them that he was now a civilian and nothing more.

Constable Pallavan whispered something to SI Baburaj whose eyes opened wide and then slowly turned his gaze to Jayaprakash, ' sir, weren't you part of the STF group that hunted and killed Veerappan and which was led by the former Commissioner of Police, Vijay Kumar, IPS.'

Jayaprakash nodded, 'true and I was also a part of the first STF group led by former DGP Walter Dawaram.'

Sub-Inspector Baburaj apologized profusely and said, ' Sir, what do you want us to do now?'

' Your job, gentlemen. Nothing more and nothing less.'

Sub-Inspector Baburaj nodded, ' sir, what do you think happened here?'

Jayaprakash looked at him and smiling grimly, ' a dead or a living person was thrown from the top of this hospital. Even if he was dead, then death must have occurred just a short while before his body landed here for blood managed to leak out and did not have the time to thicken and clot up.'

Pointing to the broken watch, ' it is a mans watch and that proves the sex of the missing person and the teeth still have blood in them and that is good for DNA and the blood type is O negative which is a very rare type of blood group.'

' And finally', pointing to the foamy kind of pillow with straps,' that is a tummy prosthetic and was used to make someone look fat when in reality they were not.'

He looked at Sub-Inspector Baburaj, ' don't you think that this place needs to be checked and samples analysed by our crime scene members and last but not least. what happened to the body? did someone take it away or did the jumper manage to get up and walk away after falling from such a great height?'