Jhalani looked impressed.
‘These things do not mean,’ Shah continued, ‘that the judge will get impressed to an extent that he’ll free my client. He is not required to take any such decision during the first hearing, which will focus on the police’s application for remand. In most of the cases, the police get the first remand without any problem, and such a remand can be of ten to fifteen days. My motive behind all this drill via the media is to ensure that the remand is granted for the minimum period and is not extended, and that the proceedings in the trial court begin as soon as possible. Now tell me, what do you think about it?’
‘Express is always against excesses,’ Jhalani said with passion, ‘and with the victims of such excesses. We have always highlighted the atrocities of the police, and have never toed the line of the establishment. Hence I must assure you, things will happen as you are expecting them to happen. Tomorrow the Express will bring the case into the limelight in which you want to see it.’
‘Jhalani,’ Navlani said in a sentimental tone, ‘that would be your personal favour to me.’
‘I’m a committed journalist, my friend, and a committed journalist doesn’t need anybody’s favour to act as a catalyst.’
‘My salutation to Express,’ Gunjan Shah said, bringing his hands together in a gesture of applause.
The meeting came to an end with that.
The problem of safe lodging for the night was staring at Jeet Singh. There was no point in going to Chinchpokli, for not just the police, but everybody in Mumbai seemed to know about it. The Vithalwadi flat was also not safe; the police was not aware of it in the morning, but they might have come to know about it by now. They were police after all and they could torture anybody to extract information for their use.
He thought about Mishri.
Mishri was a prostitute in her thirties. She was fair, with decent features, heavy hips and big breasts. Her fee for one-time sex was two thousand rupees. Some months back, when his life had taken a wretched turn, he had came across Mishri, who became his friend and well-wisher. Jeet Singh had once taken refuge at her place earlier also, so he decided to avail the courtesy again.
He reached Kamathipura.
Mishri lived on the top floor of a four-storeyed building there.
He climbed the stairs to reach the top floor, and knocked at her door.
‘Who’s there?’ came her voice.
‘Me,’ he said, ‘Jeet Singh.’
The door opened immediately.
Mishri was standing there on the threshold.
‘Hello!’ Jeet Singh said sweetly.
Her face shone with delight the moment she saw him.
Jeet Singh sighed with relief. He had come there hoping for such a welcome.
‘So the devastated lover returns!’ she said, laughing.
Jeet Singh gave a brief laugh in return.
‘Anybody in?’ he then asked in a low voice.
‘Was, just left. I had a gut feeling that you were coming.’
Jeet Singh laughed again.
‘Come,’ she said, moving aside.
Jeet Singh stepped in. Mishri closed the door behind him.
‘Sit.’
Jeet Singh sat on the sofa and she affectionately sat close to him.
‘So, how is it that you are here?’ she asked.
‘Think!’
‘The police are after you?’
‘Yes.’
‘Some new trouble?’
‘Nothing new, some old trouble has resurfaced.’
‘You can’t live without trouble?’
‘No, trouble can’t live without me.’
‘How are your burn injuries now? Do they still hurt?’
‘No, not now.’
‘Good! Now tell me, what do you want?’
‘I want shelter.’
‘I thought so. You’ll stay only for tonight?’
‘No.’
‘Then?’
‘Till the time the current crisis is gone for good.’
‘So, it’s going to be a long programme?’
‘Yes, but I’ll be here only for the night.’
‘What would you do during the daytime?’
‘I’ll see.’
‘Why so?’
‘I don’t want to ruin your business.’
‘So you are such a big well-wisher of mine, eh!’ she said mockingly. ‘Now listen, I don’t give two hoots about my business when you are concerned.’
‘Mishri, if you show too much concern for me, not only will your business be ruined, you too will be devastated.’
‘Don’t you worry about me. Whatever suits you is acceptable to me.’
‘What if I am arrested from here?’
‘Then I’ll say I did not know who you were. A hooker is not supposed to ask for the bio-data of her customers.’
‘What was a customer doing in your house at night?’
‘Some customers pay for the whole night, and stay for the whole night. You were one such customer.’
‘So, you don’t have a problem if I stay here for the night?’
‘Let there be a problem. I’ll face it for you.’
‘How will I ever pay back these favours of yours?’
‘I don’t consider them favours, but if you do, then there is one thing you can do. Stop torturing your heart, the way you tortured and burnt your body for somebody. I will consider my debt repaid if you do that. Now tell me, would you like to have a whisky? I have some here.’
‘Yes, I would.’
‘What else would you like to do?’ she said seductively.
‘Whatever you command me to do.’
‘I like the way you talk. From the heart. I adore you for that. I told you before. Now, I’ll serve the drinks.’
She stood up and went to the bedroom in the back.
Monday-Tuesday: 25-26 May
Sushmita was presented in the court on Monday, at 10.30 a.m. The public prosecutor demanded a longer remand by insisting that Sushmita was charged with a severe crime—of murdering her husband—and her co-accused, her accomplice, was still at large. The public prosecutor demanded a minimum ten days remand saying the police needed to build pressure on the arrested accused, so as to get the information regarding her accomplice, known by the name Jeet Singh, and ensure his arrest as soon as possible.
The judge had come to the court after reading that day’s Express, which had published Sushmita’s story as a lead with such strong emphasis on her innocence that he was not fully convinced about her guilt. So, the strategy planned by Gunjan Shah worked, which meant good news for Sushmita. The judge sanctioned only three days remand, indicating that it wouldn’t be extended further, and instructed the police to present the accused in court with a charge sheet on Thursday morning.
Then, using his influence and stature, Gunjan Shah ensured that a proper medical examination of the accused was carried out before she was handed over to the police, for the police could use third-degree or other means of torture on her in case the medical was not carried out. He also ensured that her investigation be handled by a lady police officer only.
By the evening, the police posted in the media a reward of Rs 20,000 for the arrest of absconding Jeet Singh. Jeet Singh got the news in the evening via Mishri, who had gone out for the day. Then onwards, her flat became a prison for Jeet Singh, for he could not afford to go out after the announcement of the reward for his arrest. He spent two days in a frustrated state. Whenever he made a call to Navlani, he was told that there was no news for him. And Gunjan Shah also couldn’t do anything new during those three days of remand.
Two days went by.
During that period, whenever Mishri stepped out for an errand, she locked the flat from outside. She said it was necessary because if a steady customer of hers came during her absence, he could think she was in if the flat was not locked. In that case, he could raise hell if the door was not opened after knocks and ringing the bell, for he could have an erroneous as
sumption that Mishri was trying to avoid him, despite him being a steady and committed customer. On the other hand, no one would stay back if he found a lock hanging on the flat’s door. But Jeet Singh used to spend those moments under acute apprehension, till the time of her return. Twenty thousand rupees was not a big amount, but who could say how low human greed could get! That Mishri, gone after locking the flat, could return with the police, was not a thought Jeet Singh could easily entertain but still there was a small voice deep inside him that raised its head and said that anything could happen.
But his apprehensions proved meaningless every time. Nothing happened in two days.
Then on the third day, he got a call from Rajaram Lokhande.
Wednesday: 27 May
It was going to be nine in the night when Rajaram called.
‘The cook’s call has come,’ he said. ‘We have to strike tonight. Meet me somewhere immediately.’
‘Where?’
‘Meet me in front of Chembur station in half an hour.’
‘That’s not possible.’
‘Why?’
‘First, I am very far from Chembur, and second, my toolkit is not here. I have to pick it up from some other place.’
‘Yaar, you should have kept it with you. You knew we had to move at a very short notice.’
‘Boss, don’t you know anything?’
‘What’re you talking about?’
Jeet Singh was about to reply when he checked himself. In the media, the news of the reward was for the arrest of Jeet Singh but Rajaram knew him as Badrinath.
‘Nothing!’ he said hastily. ‘I will reach Chembur but it will take an hour. I will call you in case it takes longer than that.’
‘It may take even longer than that?’
‘Yes.’
‘Arre, why are you creating this new problem at the last minute?’
‘There’s no problem. Didn’t you say that the best time to strike was between one and three? Now tell me what’s the problem? Where’s the problem?’
‘ok, ok, just get there by ten at any cost.’
The call was disconnected.
Mishri looked at him with questioning eyes.
‘I’ll have to leave in five minutes. I won’t be back tonight. You can assume that something bad has happened if I don’t return by tomorrow morning.’
‘You are setting out,’ Mishri asked in an alarmed tone, ‘for some big trouble?’
‘Bigger than your imagination, but I must go.’
‘Can I be of any help?’
Jeet Singh thought over it for a moment.
‘I think you can.’
‘Tell me, how?’
‘What you should do is, get dressed and come with me. And dress in such a manner that people will keep staring at you, neglecting me totally.’
‘I get it!’
‘Then get dressed fast. So will I.’
‘That I’ll do, but what’s going to be my job? How’ll I be useful when we are out of here?’
‘I’ve got some special articles of mine lying in a flat at Vithalwadi, Kalba Devi that I have rented recently…’
‘Yet you’re here?’
‘That’s another story. I would not have come here had I been in a position to go there.’
‘So I have to go there to fetch your special stuff?’
‘Yes, you got it.’
‘Nobody will stop me?’
‘No, I will give you the keys to that flat.’
‘What if somebody still questions me?’
‘Then tell him that you are my sister-in-law …’
‘Sister-in-law!’ she laughed mischievously, biting her lower lip. ‘Bloody rascal! Sleeps with his sister-in-law!’
‘… and you’ll be staying there for some time.’
‘What if the police create a fuss?’
‘If there’s a fuss, it’ll be on the road. I don’t think the police know about that place of mine. And even if they do, there’d be a constable or two there to inform the station about me. I don’t think they’d deem you worthy of their attention. There are many flats in the building. Nobody can keep a vigil on all of them, nobody does.’
‘Right!’
‘Then I too will be around all the time. In case some issue crops up, I will handle it.’
‘What do you want me to bring?’
‘I’ll tell you en route. Now dress, I don’t have much time.’
‘I’ll be ready in a jiffy.’
Jeet Singh reached Chembur station.
Rajaram was already there.
Jeet Singh reached there safely, courtesy the dazzling presence of Mishri. And thankfully, they faced no problem in getting the toolkit out of his flat.
Jeet Singh sent off Mishri and approached Rajaram.
‘I’m here in time,’ he said, ‘happy now?’
‘Yes, and Badri, I have found out what type of safe it is.’
‘Great, what type is it?’
‘The three-in-one type. One key works at three positions.’
‘Oh, then it will take more time. I told you earlier also.’
‘No problem, we won’t be short of time. But you sure you will open the safe?’
Jeet Singh stared at him.
‘Sorry!’ Rajaram said hurriedly. ‘You will, you sure will.’
‘If you don’t have faith in the expertise of a master, avoid working with him.’
‘Yaar, I’m sorry, I said it already.’
‘How are we going to travel?’
‘I have a car, a Wagon-R.’
‘Who’ll drive?’
‘I will, or you can if you prefer.’
‘Do we have to do anything here, at the station?’
‘No, we are leaving. Come.’
They reached their destination at 1.30.
The night drive had taken more time than expected.
Then they faced their first hindrance.
A night-watchman was patrolling the area.
‘That ass of a cook did not mention the night-watchman,’ Rajaram muttered angrily.
‘What now?’ Jeet Singh asked.
‘This is a minor problem. We are not going to postpone our plan because of it.’
‘What will you do?’
‘Let me think.’
They stayed silent for some time.
‘I will get down here,’ Rajaram said, ‘at the hotel end of the road, you take the car with you. Drive to Behramji’s bungalow and park it beside the wall, a little ahead of the main gate. If the watchman gets inquisitive, tell him it has broken down. To convince him of the breakdown, come out of the car, lift the hood and start fiddling with wires. He won’t stay with you for long, as he has to keep moving for patrol duty. If he comes towards me, I’ll engage him in some meaningless enquiry about the neighbourhood and so ensure that he keeps away from you for some time. In the meantime, you climb on the top of the car. Your hands will easily reach the wires on the boundary wall, from there. You cut the wires with pliers, place your toolkit on the wall, climb the wall and lie facedown on it. When the watchman returns, he will think that you have abandoned the car and are not going to return till morning. When he walks past the car, I will come running, get on the roof of the car and climb up the wall to be with you. If I fail to scale the wall, you can help me climb by pulling me up. Any problem there?’
‘I don’t see any.’
‘There isn’t any. I’m getting down now, you can take the car.’
Rajaram stepped out of the car and Jeet Singh took his place in the driving seat.
He moved the car forward and stopped it some twenty yards ahead of the bungalow’s main gate besides its boundary wall.
At that time, the watchman was way ahead of him and was now coming back that way. When he came closer, Jeet Singh turned on the ignition of the running engine for his benefit, so that the irritating noise so produced could be heard afar. He did it twice or thrice, and then switched off the engine.
The watchman approached the
car and stopped near the driving side.
‘What happened?’ he asked curiously.
‘The car went kaput on me,’ Jeet Singh said in a worried tone. ‘The engine is not catching.’
‘Oh!’
Jeet Singh stepped out, went up front and lifted the bonnet of the car.
‘Do you know anything of car engines?’ he asked.
‘I am a poor watchman,’ he lamented, ‘how can I know anything about cars?’
‘Then continue with your duty, I myself will see what can be done.’
The watchman moved on.
The moment he was out of sight in the foggy atmosphere, Jeet Singh dropped the bonnet, took the toolkit and a pair of big pliers from the car, and climbed onto its roof. He slipped his hands into thin, latex surgical gloves. The pliers’ handles were covered by thick insulation, so there was no danger even if the barbed wire had electric current. However, while cutting the wires with the pliers, he realized that there was no current in them.
Very easily he severed the wires and left them hanging on the inner side of the wall. He placed the pliers and the toolkit on top of the wall, climbed the wall and lay down on it, facedown. He glanced inside but could not see anything because of the darkness. There was complete silence in the compound, and the light of two bulbs in shades on both sides of the bungalow was not enough to reach the wall.
Peace prevailed all around.
He diverted his attention towards the road.
The watchman was returning.
He held his breath and kept lying there, waiting for him to pass.
The watchman stopped for a moment near the car, looked inside, and then resumed his walk again.
He had hardly disappeared when Rajaram came tiptoeing towards the car from the opposite side. He quickly climbed the roof of the car, and Jeet Singh pulled him up the wall by his side. Immediately Rajaram lowered his body by the inner side of the wall suspended by the hold of the fingers of both hands. He dangled there like that for a moment, and then released his hold on the wall.
The Colaba Conspiracy Page 31