‘Benaulim’ a town of colossal natural beauty, located along the picturesque south Goa coastline. White sand on the Beach, tall – very tall trees, it wasn’t surefire that water was turquoise due to gumshoe of clear-turquoise sky above or color of water was that only. Whatever that was but that made it wonderfully scenic and quaint. Legend has it that Lord Parshurama, incarnation of Lord Vishnu, shot an arrow from the Sahyadri Mountains in adjacent konkan; the arrow (Baan in Sanskrit) landed at this site. Thus, it was known as Banahali (the village of the arrow) before the advent of the Portuguese. Benaulim has two beaches first Benaulim beach which is the prime beach and secondly Vaddi beach which is less congested and developed than Benaulim beach.
Here I was at the wonderful Orchid Beach Resorts, Benaulim, South Goa for the three day annual taxation meet of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. Taxation meet was just the formal name given; in fact it was just a little vacation most of the Chartered Accountants deserved after the hectic season of Tax Audits and Statutory Audits and Income Tax Returns. It was cool sitting on a beach with an ice-cold beer pitcher in the hand wearing nice floral shirt with first three buttons unbuttoned, no worry of any call of boss or an urgent e-mail or last minute meetings. Rhythm of the waves of the sea was restful to the eyes; those little kids making sand-palaces were the signature of any beach – wherever you go. “After some time Me, Sharvari and my kid will be making a palace like this.” I smiled on my palace of dreams; We just had got the good news. Still so much time was left till I would be able to make such fortresses with my son/daughter. Ringing cell disordered my enjoyment.
“Enjoying alone on the beach of Goa?” Ever beautiful face of my wife came in front of me; sweet voice was made sweeter with the tinge of jealousy.
“You won’t believe Sharvari, just at this moment I was thinking of you only.”
“Oh Really..!! Why you remembered me, all of sudden?” She was pleasantly niggling as always.
“A few kids were busy making sand-palace over here. I imagined me, you and power-ranger making one of those palaces on this beach..!”
“Power Ranger…!! “ She giggled on the call
“Seriously, take my word no one can beat you with the words. You exactly know how, what and when to say something.” She continued after a giggle.
“Colors of your company madam..!”
“Oh really, is it so sir?”
“But obvious.”
“Mumma calling, time to eat something, seriously she is so nauseating these days, making me eat some weird things every half an hour.”
“Enjoy various delicacies, what else can I say?”
“You must be laughing over me sitting on that beach with the beer pitcher in your hand..!”
Oh is she here, somewhere around me? I tried to hide the Beer can behind my back, as if she was nearby. “No re dear, just sitting ideally on the beach, waiting for next technical session to start in the conference.” I said after confirming that she was nowhere nearby.
“Need to rush, Mumma is screaming now, I’ll take class of yours later honey.”
“Take nice care of power ranger and tell the power ranger to take good care of you, or else I will take class of him or her.”
“Bbyeeeee…” The call disconnected, nice breeze from the sea flirted with my hair and I took the mouthful gulp of icy beer.
“Hi, your wife?” A gentleman sitting on a chair next to me asked, as I looked around after hanging up the call. We both laughed on his good observation skills.
“Yes..! Hi, CA. Nevan Mehta here.” I just formally introduced myself, he was a huge fellow. He must be around six one – six two feet tall, well-built body gave the impression he must be regularly working out, he looked totally fit.
“Hello, Nice meeting you.” After some routine guy’s chit-chat we departed on our own ways, him on left and me on right.
“Heya Nevan, How’s you? Let’s meet today evening..!”
“Only if you are planning to come here at Benaulim, Goa…!”
“Goa?”
“Yes I am here Mati, for three days taxation conference, I am in the one of the session and people are glaring at me as if I am an alien, can I call you later?”
“Yes, you can..!”
“Thanks and Cya.” I immediately disconnected the call
×××
Here I was standing in the overcrowded Dev Arcade Mall in to the center of the New Delhi, since last half an hour. Mati was expected to be here in ten minutes and the ten minutes was still ten minutes, till I confirmed with her lastly ten minutes before. I was in awe, why had she called me so urgently over here; I was nicely, lazily resting on a lazy Sunday afternoon. And here she was wearing her dark green colored shades after keeping me waiting for almost forty five minutes. For a while I just kept on my switching my glaring – perky green colored eyes between her and my wrist watch.
“Sorry, Nevan. You know this Delhi traffic na…!” You don’t always need words to prompt an action; just a look can do that for you.
“Still Mati…! Forty five minutes late?”
“Sorry” She held both her ears with her hands, I felt embarrassed as we stood like that in the middle of the mall.
“It’s okay, was the deal? Why you spoiled my lazy Sunday noon sleep?”
“I guess, your sleep is going to vanish today…!” She looked here and there absurdly; I was looking at her, trying to interpret what actually she meant? Was she trying to be sarcastic – but she was never smart enough to give a sarcastic thought on me.
“Excuse me, can you please elaborate?” I sounded mixed with confusion and curiosity.
“Give me some time; you will get to know everything.” She was looking all over the mall that increased my curiosity, what she is looking for? Butterflies had started to fly all over my stomach – she was creating a dramatic suspense. After a while, she took her cell phone, “All Clear..!!” She said and put the cell phone back into her huge purse.
“Can I please know, what is happening with me? I hope you are not trying to kidnap me.! In that case you will be the one at loss.”
“Can you please be normal sometimes?”
“Oh, Life is too short to be normal dear.”
“Just a minute Nevan…!” she rushed to a middle aged guy who just sat on the bench next to where we were standing. He was half bald, must be in his late forties. He looked much seasoned guy; his eyes were speaking that for himself. She got involved in a chatter with him for a little, while I looked around I found some similar faces to me – Which I have seen quite often in last few days around me, one of them was the well built up guy whom I met at the beach of Goa and had a little conversation. Is this the mere co-incidence? I wondered. Finally their little conference ended.
“I thought you called me here to meet you..!” I said looking at Mati, She gave me a frustrated look, that made me wonder, what the hell was happening, it was just the beginning though.
“Hi, Mr. Nevan..! Don’t blame her, she isn’t the one who called you here, I was the one.” The bald guy, with whom she was talking, interrupted my conversation with Mati. And why the f**k did you called me? Was the first thing that came to my mind, but I abandoned it instantly.
“You don’t know me, but I know everything about you, from ‘A’ to ‘Z’…!” There was some typical style the way he said those words.
“Why are you so interested in me? In case you are a Gay, I am happily married guy and I am straight.” Sarcasm never left my brain, since childhood…
“Don’t worry, I too am a father of two lovely children and straight too.” He finally extended his hand for the handshake, I too obliged. His was rusty and rough. We had a hard hand shake – masculine one.
“Hi, I am Pradumna, ACP Pradumna, Crime Investigation Dept – ATS Squad.” My jaws felt open, why ACP of a Crime Investigation Dept. wants to meet me. Mati Shah, Legal Advisor – Crime Investigation Dept. I remembered – Mati’s visiting card she had given me when we met at that Café Parade.
“Oh, pleasant meeting you sir, what can I do for you?” I immediately became conscious of the situation.
“A lot, you can do a lot Nevan.” I started feeling sweat in my palms, the way ACP Pradumna had put prominence on word ‘Lot’.
“We need a little help from you Nevan.” Mati joined in the conversation in her lenient tone as the well built-up guy I met at Goa, joined the group with one more guy.
“Sr. Inspector Daya and Sr. Inspector Abhijeet.” ACP introduced both the guys.
“So, it wasn’t the co-incidence, we have met before.” I said pointing at Sr. Inspector Daya, he smiled in return.
“So, can we get back to business?” ACP said in a serious tone.
“Sure.” The butterflies in the stomach had already turned into helicopters flying in there; I don’t know how I would be able to help CID and their Legal Advisor – Mrs. Mati Shah, what actually was in their mind, it seemed everything was pre-planned – The way Mati met me and continued meeting me, the way Sr. Inspector Daya met me at the Goa Beach, I also felt I have seen face of Sr. Inspector Abhijeet around me intermittently, some very serious topic was about to unveil itself. The Mesosphere around us was getting denser with every moment passing in silence, both ACP and Mati were looking at each other’s faces, they also were perturbed of where to start from. And when they spoke finally – I was STUNNED.
“Do you know where are you working Nevan?” ACP finally started something.
“Impeccable Solutions Pvt. Ltd. – A Financial Consultancy firm, rather renowned one.”
“You used the last word erroneously Nevan, it’s not renowned one – it’s rather a notorious and mysterious one.” There was something typical in the speech of ACP, some weekly soaps on television also portrayed Police officials like this only, “Are they trained to speak like this, in their communication classes?”
“Excuse me?”
“Do you know who the associate at your post was before you joined?”
“No, why should I bother of the same?”
“Because there are reasons to bother, He was the guy gravely killed in a road accident. Rather planned road accident, but we had no evidence to prove that, bothered now?”
“You just might be exaggerating a bit too much, that could have been only a road accident.” I was perspiring heavily into the centrally AC mall, my throat started to dry up a little, I excused myself for a glass of water. I came back with a mineral water bottle in a while.
“He was working for us, was about to give me some important details next day morning, but the unlucky guy met the horrendous accident that evening while going back home. Bothered now?”
“Why the hell you are telling me all these?”
“Just to let you know in which hell you are working.” Mati was the one who spoke this time around
“Impeccable Solution Pvt. Ltd. – A Private Limited Company formed in the year 1987 with the objective of providing financial consultancy and allied services to the clients, these much you know right?”
“Obviously”
“Now the part you don’t know – It’s the company which is responsible for all the Hawala Money routed into India through gulf countries. It is the company which shelters the black money of very big reputed names of the country. It is the company which is involved passively in each of the big financial scams happening over here.” ACP vivaciously said all these, my jaws dropped open.
“You know Nevan, just recently one huge scam is revealed – import of bogus spares & parts of Mig-21 fighter planes – and we are having doubt this one too is routed through your company. Yours is a mediator company between the exporter sitting there in Russia and the one importing here and supplying it to the Indian Air Force. So indirectly your company is as well responsible for turning our super fighter jets into death coffin of our brave soldiers.” Mati too got vibrant.
“You just take a scam starting from Bofors to 2G to CWG Games to Mig-21; your people are involved there in.” I took a gulp of chilled water, relaxed myself a bit to talk something.
“How should I believe you, I have been working over there since two years now, nothing has come to my notice since day, how is that possible?”
“A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep.”
“Please sir, don’t create puzzles with in the puzzle and be clear with what you want to say.”
“Look, Nevan your organization is the best example of well-managed and well-organized organization. No Associate is ever been given access to those secret files, only senior pros handle those. And they are pretty much strict on these; they are separately stored and worked.” This mention made me recollect the day where I just brought a file from the wrong cabinet and Sam bawled on me as if I had done some serious error, it was so uncharacteristic of Sam, “was that the cabinet, where all those files were stored, he was the Sr. Executive after all?”
“What they do, hires a bright young guy like you, shows them pretty good money, some sexy car, nice apartment and gives them hundred percent clear files to work their asses on. Then, after some two-three years if they are good enough, are promoted to Sr. Executive and then they reveal the black secrets in front of you. At that time you have two options: first is accept the whole lot of money, shut your mouth and keep on working your ass off till you decide to retire or… .. …” He brusquely stopped there, took a water bottle from me and had a little water.
“And most people choose to live.” He finished the statement
“F**k off; I still am not able to believe this is the place where I am working.” I was astonished
“Sometimes reality is more bloodcurdling than nastiest of the imagination.” As ACP said this, Mati put her hand on my shoulder to calm me a bit; I was starting to get a little apprehensive.
“So, what you are expecting out of me?”
“You know Nevan what is the curdling my blood, that even after passive involvement in these many crimes – we don’t have any evidence against your people. Coz there so many politicians and other big names holding the balls of your bosses. There is one more theory in the market as well. The vice-chairman of your company, what is his name..!”
“Jaxay Shah..!!”
“Yes, that Jaxay Shah, used to be the financial advisor of the underworld king Salim Khan and Jaxay is just the puppet of Salim Khan here in India, being managed by his god-father sitting out there in some valley of Pakistan. And I am afraid apart from Hawala Transfers, those transferred money are also used in funding anti-Indian activities like Naxalism and even Terrorism.”
“We just want you to get us some of the papers from those secret files through which we can confront these people and get them under the grasp of the law.” Mati’s hand was still on my shoulder, she certainly was doing her bit as the Legal Advisor of the Dept.
“How do you know these much, if you aren’t having information regarding them?”
“We knew nothing of these; we just had doubt of involvement of this organization into the Bofors Scam and then the recent one, Imports of Bogus Parts of Mig-21. Doubting that we approached the associate before you and he was the one who actually gave all these information, it was like a jackpot for us and we thought here we have these bastards, but they are not just two but four steps ahead of us. They found out that this guy was working for us and they killed him the evening before when he was going to hand us the documentary evidences.”
“So you want me to stalk around my office being Sherlock Homes, steal those documents and hand it over to you?”
“Exactly…!”
“Bloody f**k exactly..?? I am not a trained detective sir. And what are the chances, I too might get fucked by those bustards on getting to know I am working for you.”
“Look Nevan, I know it’s not an easy job. But you will have to trust me and my team. We will try our level best to protect you from any harm.”
“You must have promised the same to the associate before me as well.”
“Nevan, you have to help us. It’s about whole country yaar…!!” Mati lost her patience.
“Will country look up to my family, if I am killed?”
“Look, Nevan in the end choice is yours.”
“What if I say no?”
“Choice is all yours CA. Nevan Mehta. But I promise you one thing today or tomorrow I will catch onto this bloody ass holes, and maybe in case you say no, your name too will be in the arrest warrant and you will be behind the bars. That’s the promise of ACP Pradumna.”
“Give me some time to think.”
“Take your time Nevan; here is my card, contact me in case you are interested. I will wait for your call as eager as ever.”
“Hmm…!”
“And one more thing, don’t even dare calling from either your mobile phone or your office or house landline phone. It’s all taped, your house, your office, your car everything is wired. They know each and every word you utter, so be careful. You are surrounded by the stalkers that too bloody intelligent.” I had no word on what ACP said, despite being the guy of the words – as people said – I was left speechless.
“I will await your call – from a public booth. Take care and have a good sleep tonight.” I knew he had said last things tenaciously. This guy was wishing me a sleep well wish after giving me one of the most dreadful nightmares of my life.
×××
It was a dark night; I guess it was the no moon day. I checked my watch it showed 3:30, streets of the capital of the country were ruled by the dogs. How contrary – in the day time they are ruled by donkeys (who rule us – by the way) and in the night by the dogs. I checked here and there for any one’s presence, no human element was around except for a snoring security guy at the door of the Impeccable House. I entered the office with the legs of a cat; no one was there in the corridor which was normally buzzing with the people. I took the stair-case to reach the first floor, the floor where I worked. I took out keys out of my pocket, opened the cabin of SAM and entered. It was all hush, I was even able to hear voice of my breathing – in and out… in and out; speed was increasing in rhythm. I switched on the flash light of my cell, to see in the darkness. I went into the storage area – looked at the cabins where those susceptible files were expected to be filed. I tried to open the first of those and luckily it wasn’t locked; smile took over all my face. I focused my flash light into the cabin, randomly took out a file and it was named: “R. Kalmadi”, another of the jackpot. I snatched a chair and started observing the documents within the file, I was in awe, it had each and every details of the so over-hyped CWG Scam, accounts of the each and every penny of public money which this ass hole ate without even belching. I took out two-three more files indiscriminately, started taking overview of those files as well. ACP Pradumna was correct, these were the files I never knew as the associate and all these were black files. At that very moment I decided I will help them what so ever might happen with me but I will get these ass holes confronted by hook or the crook. As I carefully put the files back, I heard some movement in the corridor. I switched the flash of my mobile off and hide in the storage area. My heart was beating at the pace, I never felt before, my whole face was wet with the sweat, in my mind I was praying to almighty, hope all is well, it’s just a passing security guy, but all in vein.
“Nevan, come out of the storage area, I know you are in there dear.”
Oh, holy f**k its Sam, how he knew I was here?
“Nevan, please come out, don’t force me to do anything I don’t want to.”
I thought it was all over, but still it was only Sam, he was my friend, I can take him into the trust and ask him to forgive me, I won’t be killed atleast. I will say, I will move out of the organization as if I never knew, what all happened over here. With all these defenses in my mind, I slowly came out of the storage area, I guess he felt me coming out, he switched on the lights in the cabin, and I was fucked just at the sight. Jaxay sir, Jigish sir, Sam and two three other muscular people were standing there, those three guys had automatic machine guns in their hand. There was a wicked smile on the face of every one, mine turned pale looking onto them.
“Hello, Mr. Sherlock Homes, done with your investigation?” It was Jigish sir, who began the talking, I just buried my eyes onto the floor, I didn’t have courage to look into the eyes of my death.
“What the hell did you think; we were some stupid ass-holes. That you will stalk into our empire and we will let you go. No, we won’t let you go, make that clear into your mind you son of a bi**h.”
“Look, you can do whatever you want to but make one thing sure if not today you will be caught tomorrow. There are no chances you can continue this for longer.”
“Ahan, all of a sudden patriotism in you has grown. Ab bolo : Mera Bharat Mahan – Me mere desh ke liye apni jaan bhi de sakta hun, Bharat meri Maa hain…!!” Sam was at his sarcastic best.
“That ACP Pradumna seems a decent guy, he has provoked two of our associates in very near past, first Rutvij and now Nevan. We need to take care of him guys; he is starting to become pain at the wrong place now.” Jaxay sir said looking at both Jigish sir and Sam.
“And you Nevan, you were a bright young guy; I had lots of hopes on you, but you have ruined it yourself by listening to that half bald mother f**ker Pradumna. May god forgive me for killing one more bright young guy.” I closed my eyes anticipating showers of bullets on my body and painful death.
“But one minute, before dying won’t you like to know how we found out the truth about you?” Jigish sir stopped the gunman from firing.
“I would like to know.”
“We also would like you to know.” With these words, he went out of the cabin talked with someone in the whispering tone, and came back in with a huge smirk on his face.
“Taaaa….taaaaa…daaa, here she comes.” He opened the door, I kept on gawking at the door, I wasn’t able to believe what I saw, it was Mati who was standing in there.
“Mati you..! You are the one who screwed me?”
“Yes sweetie, I am sorry. Hope you will forgive me, in case you don’t – I don’t care.”
“You were the last person, I expected here. Means since our academic days – I tried to help you, always tried to comfort you and you did these. I don’t care that you betrayed me but under the mask of being legal advisor of CID, you are doing this stuff.”
“Yes, I am doing these. Being Legal Advisor of CID is just the mask, I actually work for Salim Khan. We all work for Salim Khan. That a***ole ACP thinks, he can get all these solved that too with my help.” She snorted in very high tone.
“I hate you Mati and I hate the fact that somewhere in those old days – I had a crush over you.” I thought, I might cry at any moment but I forcefully detained my tears within.
“This is why – you people are so easy to fool- coz you are emotional fools. Tata Nevan, it was pleasure meeting you.” With these words she took out a pistol from her pocket, aimed at me. I didn’t close the eyes this time around – I kept them open to see the atrocious version of a friend and a secret crush of my young days. It felt, time had slowed up, I was able to see each and every little movement of hers, her fingure slowly triggered the gun, gun-shot echoed into my ears.
“Nooooooooooooooo……!” I shouted, I opened my eyes, which were closed in the fear, I was alone on the bed in my bedroom, swimming in the little pool my own sweat, my head was spinning, my breathing was heavy; I was having Goosebumps, in short I was frightened, frightened of death. It was one of the second worst nightmares I had ever faced; the worst was the one I faced today afternoon in the mall. I searched for a glass of water around my bed hurriedly; I found the glass on a nearby table. I took it and swallowed in one shot. I was feeling suffocated here in the room, to have a little fresh air I decided to go to the terrace. I checked the clock; it showed 3:30 AM, hesitating smile curdled my lips.
×××
“So, how’s it these days all well?” somewhere on the top floor of the Impeccable house, two-three person were in the dark room, crammed with numerous TV Screens and wires all around. The room was suffocating with the smoke of the cigarette being smoked.
“Nothing special except for one little thing.”
“Little ants cause huge problems for an elephant. So what is that little thing?” Jaxay said with his ever calm attitude.
“Your Associate of the year..!”
“Nevan..!! What is the issue?” Anxiety took over the calmness over his face.
“He has found a new company these days, which is not too good news for we people.”
“Be clear with it James, what is the case?”
“Clear case is, your associate of the year Mr. Nevan Mehta, has found one of his very old friend Ms. Mati here in Delhi and is spending a lot of time with her these days.”
“Oh, his wife is away; must be feeling alone after going home. And we all know, alone nights are not the best thing.” A Wicked smile apprehended on Jaxay’s face.
“In routine, I too would have ignored considering their personal affair but when I took out the profile of this Ms. Mati, I came to know she is the legal advisor of CID and internal source from there on only revealed to me she had worked for that f**king Pradumna before.”
“Any suspicious activity over phone calls between them?”
“Nothing on record, but I am getting a bad feel about this Nevan now.”
“Don’t have such feel you asshole, he is a bright young guy. I want him here; I don’t want to slaughter another sunny young blood.”
“Rutvij, too was a bright one. These mother f**kers catch these bright ones only.”
“Let’s see, increase security over Nevan. I hope it’s just that extra marital affair. Or else two cases in very near past – Salim bhai might f**k my ass with his gun barrel.”
“So what have you decided Nevan?” Mati finally spoke as we silently sipped our tea at a roadside tea stall, the place was not so nice and tidy, little water puddles were around the bench where we sat, a few flies were hanging around.
“I don’t know Mati, I am confused.”
“I am there with you all the way till end, let’s do it Nevan. Let’s get these ass holes what they are worth of, arrest warrant. And I don’t want you behind the bars when they are caught. So, please help yourself if not us.”
“I can’t do all these alone. Yes, if I tried hard I might get some of the files of Sam, but what about others. I don’t even know anything about other nineteen Sr. Executives. “
“I can find you an acquaintance.”
“I don’t think trusting upon somebody is an option over here.”
“The person I am talking about is more than steadfast.”
“Tell ACP, I am in. Will try and give my best shot.”
“That’s like my man.” She soared from her place and hugged me; it was so sudden I slopped the tea in my hand all over us; we smiled at each other drenched all in tea.
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