The Captive_Episode12

By the time, Madhuri reached the station, Aryaveer and Dhananjay had taken care of everything. The warrants were issued quickly, and they picked up the owners of the adjacent plots calling it a speedy and significant investigation. Vedant Dave had helped speed up the warrants. These were only temporary warrants for investigation and not arrest warrants. Vedant Dave’s influence and power in the police and law circle helped them to actually speed up the case, otherwise they would have been stuck in the long wait of approvals, bureaucracy and red tape. Moreover, the media would have really blown it big. The press was handled well without leaking the real photos of Kruthi.

Madhuri had seen on her mobile the news on TV on her way to the station that the bodies were dug out based on the investigation by CID following an abduction case and a rape survivor. Her name too, was mentioned by the idea, as the investigating officer of the ‘Tarthan Serial Killing case’. So, finally press has given a name to the serial murder case. Tarthan Nagar became popular and got its mention in pages of history, she thought. But rather than the fame and the award, she was keen in catching the murderers. Kruthi had shown exceptional bravery in rescuing herself. They could at least catch those cold-blooded, satanic killers and hang them for the sake of all those 15 bodies found today. They dug out 15 bodies but who knows there could be more buried somewhere else.

These abductors are careful and seemed matured in crime. They did not leave a trace of their captivities. If Kruthi was not able to free herself, these bloody hunters would have continued raping and murdering innocent girls. She gasped for air as she entered her cabin where Aryaveer and Dhananjay waited for her.

‘Guys, did you bring in everyone?” Madhuri questioned picking up the file on the table. Of all other things, she was very particular about paperwork.

‘Bhaskar Sahini, could be a problem. We need to interrogate him quickly. He demanded a lawyer, and his lawyer is on the way.’ Aryaveer replied while Dhananjay was getting few other papers ready.

‘I see. Rich and flamboyant.’ Madhuri retorted, her eyes scrolling the file.

‘Will be difficult to extract information from him. We need to strategize and play accordingly.’ Madhuri nodded. Squeezing information from criminals was one area she was good at, and Aryaveer was an expert.

‘Another problem is Shreya Jaiswal. We need to dispose her too quickly. We cannot retain her through the night.’ Saran suggested entering the cabin.

‘I and Aryaveer will interrogate Bhaskar Sahini and you and Dhananjay interrogate his daughter. What about the other two?’

‘Pratik Sahini, son of Bhaskar Sahini is out of town. He is in Goa. I have asked the Goa police to take him into custody. Mahesh Kar, is a distant relative of Bhaskar Sahini. He says, that he purchased the land long back because of Bhaskar Sahini. And he has signed a power of attorney in favour of Bhaskar Sahini to sell the land, as he is mostly stationed in a small village called Purchan, 300 km from here. I talked to him on the phone and informed the nearby police station to keep a watch on him.’ Aryaveer informed everyone in the room. Madhuri appreciated his swiftness, and everyone flung into action.

Aryaveer bloated at least five inches because, he did not like Dhananjay taking away all the attention. Call it professional jealousy or individual vanity, he decided to steal back all the attention Dhanjay was receiving from Madhuri and Saran.

In the small cabin ,Bhaskar Sahini waited for the officer to enter. He had seen life, he had been in trouble before, big troubles but this one was out of his contemplation. Dead bodies buried in his land, that wasteland?

He has purchased the land in 1970 along with Atul Shrivastava. They had thought that in due period of time the prices will soar high. India was growing and there was a rapid increase of converting the wastelands, farming lands into residential buildings, shopping complexes, industrial hubs. But, this particular piece of land never soared. It just increased marginally. Where cities boundaries grew and more and more villages came under the metropolitan preview over the years, this wasting piece of land and the neighbouring areas stayed out of the city zone. A wasted investment it was.

Atul Shrivastava died in 1985 due to a major heart attack. He then transferred a few acres of land to his son and daughter in 2000 when his daughter demanded partition. He should have sold that land. After Atul, his best buddy died, there was no point in hanging with the land either, but he retained it as a piece of their friendship treasure. There were memories associated with that land. And the little cabin on Atul’s part of land was beautiful. They used to escape to the cabin for drinking and sleeping with prostitutes. But that was long back. He did not see the land for many years now. He did not know how the cabin looked like except four days back, police had informed him about a dead body found in the cabin and asked a few questions about the same. But today, he was shocked to hear that it was a graveyard of bodies.

When Aryaveer and Madhuri entered the room, Bhaskar Sahini was lost in his own thoughts. His eyes scanned Madhuri from top to bottom. What a lusty bastard! Madhuri thought. Before Aryaveer and Madhuri even started the interrogation, Bhaskar Sahini almost leaped out of his seat demanding an attorney, ‘I am not answering anything without an attorney present.’

‘I am sure he is on his way. Till then we can get started.’ Madhuri offered a suggestion which was plainly refused by Bhaskar Sahini. ‘We will wait then.’

This greatly flared Aryaveer, ‘Look Mr. Sahini. We don’t mind keeping you here the whole night if you are so happy to spend your night in this cabin.’

But Bhaskar Sahini was adamant. He was a shrewd man. He knew, how to handle police and law. But what he didn’t know was Aryaveer had already information about him in the past, which was enough to break this old man who acted too smart. He was nothing. Aryaveer had cracked tough criminals and hard core murderers and terrorists. But, it was also possible that he could be one of the three kidnappers.

Aryaveer shifted in his seat, and Madhuri crossed her legs. She knew, it was time to play the trump card so she waited for Aryaveer to talk.

‘All right. Mr. Sahini. If you are not co-operative then we will leave. But before leaving I will book an FIR for the rape of a call-girl Smitha Apte on the night of 23rd April, 2017 and attempted murder on a minor will send you at least, let me calculate the combined sentence under all sections, a lifetime imprisonment…’ Aryaveer looked directly into Mr. Sahini’s eyes now.

Mr. Sahini started to sweat. He removed a handkerchief and wiped his forehead. ‘If you think you can threaten me, you can’t. That case was never booked.’ He replied calmly without his voice shaking.

‘Sure. But the agent Rajesh Mishra doesn’t think so. He also speaks of drugs and other black market elements. I just have to twist my fingers and Rajesh Mishra will spit out everything.’

Aryaveer cracked his fingers and moved back in his seat tapping his fingers on the table watching Bhaskar Sahini turning pale. Madhuri’s mobile beeped. She handed over to Bhaskar Sahini, ‘It is your lawyer and he wants to talk to you.’

Bhaskar Sahini reluctantly took the mobile and spoke, ‘Ajay, I don’t need you now. Yes, I am sure. Just a regular interrogation. If I need you I will give you a call. Yes, yes, sure.’

He gave the phone back to Madhuri.

‘See, I agree I am a bad man. I have a thing for girls. I am lusty and addicted to sex. I have illegal business but I am not a murderer and not a serial killer. I know nothing of this case. You people have to believe me.’

‘Why should we believe you? You fit in so perfectly to the description of the murderer. Your crazy addiction, you owning the deserted land make you look like a killer from all the angles.’ Madhuri demanded an explanation but, Bhaskar Sahini almost begged that he knew nothing of all his. He did not even visit that land for so many years now.

‘Where were you on 14th Feb night.’

‘In a party. You can check. I can give you the details.’

‘Do you know someone named Birju?’ Madhuri questioned him.

‘No.’

‘I think you are not trying harder.’ She looked at Aryaveer, ‘Book the case. Call Rajesh Mishra.’

‘No, no, Madam. I am telling you the truth.’ Bhaskar Sahini pleaded them to believe him.

‘How do you know Anthony Pastor?’ Aryaveer asked this time.

‘Anthony who?’

‘Anthony Pastor from the Revelation church. We have records of him paying you visits.’

‘I do not remember. Ask him.’

‘He is dead.’ Madhuri informed him cooly.

‘What? When?’ I don’t know him.’

‘Mr. Sahini, If you are not honest with us, I am telling you, you will be spending a lifetime in prison.’ Aryaveer was annoyed now. He slammed his tightened fist so hard that shook Bhaskar Sahini. The man flinched and tried to remember. He was scared. He was shaken. What did he get himself into? He had no clue. Church?

‘Oh. Yeah!’ Bhaskar Sahini spoke was flustered and he spoke garbled which was difficult for Aryaveer and Madhuri to understand.

‘The head priest, he is my friend. I help in some of the church activities, you know he helps in making my black money white, like donation and all. That’s all.’

‘That’s all.’ Aryaveer raised his eyebrows while Madhuri watched.

‘Yes. He must have been to my house for some of these works, or some signature or some donation money. That’s all.’

‘How long?’ Madhuri asked.

‘Maybe from three years. Yes.’

‘Anything else that this Anthony Pastor helped you with.’

‘No. But wait! He recommended Manish my driver two years back. Yes, I remember now. He had been to collect the donation money, and I had asked him to refer a good driver who can also do my errands. He suggested Manish and trust me Manish has been a trusted and loyal driver from then on.’

‘Full name? Address? Telephone number?’

Bhaskar Sahini gave all the details. He also informed he was on his leave today. Madhuri noted in the file. She will ask a junior inspector to check the details. She asked, ‘What’s the full name you said?’‘Manish Brijwasi?’‘Brijwasi? He hails from?’‘Somewhere North.’

‘Tell me does he have a tattoo on one of his arms. A dagger, a knife or a sword.?’

‘He does. Why? How do you know?’ Bhaskar Sahini was perplexed. Madhuri left the room in a hurry, and Aryaveer followed her locking the room behind them.