Chapter 20

At the hospital, Sidharth pace up and down the hallway. The doctor comes out and says," ACP Sidharth." Sidharth goes to him and he says,"Patient is okay. You can talk to him, even take him after he comes to senses." Sidharth asks,"What was the matter with him?" The doctor replies,"He was poisoned. A mild one." Sidharth stays quite as Bhonsale and Gaikward comes to him. Bhonsale says," Suicide?" Gaikward says,"Sir, l am calling HQ and getting the cctv checked.", and he leaves. Sidharth looks at Bhonsale and says," If anybody, mind you anybody touches him without my knowledge, you will be responsible." Bhonsale gulps saliva and says," Sir! Aap mujhe.." Sidharth looks at him with anger and says," A guy is given posion inside the police custody and you are asking me, is it a suicide. Dimag kuch hai ya ghar pe chod ke ayeho? How did anyone enter the custody without getting caught? It was your duty." Bhonsale lowers his head and whispers," Sorry Sir..I will stay here myself, ensuring he is okay." Sidharth says," No. I am staying."

Sidharth returns to the HQ after shifting Kiran to a secured location. After he enters his room, Gaikward and Ranne follows him inside. Sitting down, he looks at them. Gaikward says," Sir constable Naresh was the only one to go near him to give him tea and breakfast that he got from the stall at the front. Naresh is innocent sir. Everything had happened outside, in the stall." Sidharth says," So what would I say to people above me? No sir it is not our fault, the poison was given by someone outside the HQ." Ranne says, "We know the pressure you are having right now sir. And we are really sorry that.." Sidharth interupts,"Everything is my fault. I got involved in my....Did you find anyone at the stall who has done this?" Gaikward says," Every one has been kept in the custody but they don't know anything sir." Sidharth leans back on the chair and says," He might have been there like a customer. It is usually very crowded in the morning. Putting a drop of rat poison in one glass couldn't be a big thing." Ranne asks," But why a few drops, when he could kill him with something more dangerous?" Sidharth says," He wants to kill him like he always does. Woh apne victims ko shayad unki galatiyan bolta hoga and then must have put the noose to kill them. He wants that with Kiran too. He wanted to confront him too. He needed him out of the custody for that. He had waited but when he had found we had still kept him here, he planned something else. Little amount of poison meant, hospital visit. He had thought he could take him out of the hospital and do his needs. But.. wait.... " Sidharth sits up straight as Gaikward asks," Kya hua sir?"

Sidharth says," Call the hospital and get the cctv footage now. " Ranne asks,"What has happened sir?" Sidharth shakes his head and says," He was there. He was there in the hospital." Gaikward asks," Who sir? The killer?" Sidharth says," I was in the room with Kiran. I got a call from home. A wardboy entered and soon left saying sorry for entering wrong room. He left so quickly and I couldn't find him anymore later. But now when I think.. I am sure that was him. He left finding me there. He had makeup...quite good actually as he looked old like a 50 year old...okay get me all the pictures, shortlisted one, sketches and everything. And try to get the cctv footage." Ranne says," I am on to it now. Sir that Director will be here today. I have informed him to come in the afternoon." Sidharth nods his head as the both officers leave the room.

Sidharth goes through all the photographs and the sketches, trying to imagine the face he had seen in the hospital and matching it with the photos in the front of him. He selects the photos of a Third Assistant Director Brijesh, Make up artist Nirmal, and boom operator Shyam along with the four other previously shortlisted crew. Putting the photographs on the evidence board, he carefully tries to see each of their features. If his gut feelings is considered right, the wardboy is the killer. The makeup he had was exceptional. Unless carefully observed, no one could have understood that. He had mistaken him too for an old man. If he can do such good makeup, identifying him is not easy job. Bhonsale comes into the room with the cctv footage. Sidharth asks him to leave as he put the pendrive into his laptop. His gut feeling is proved right after watching the footage. It clearly shows an old man in wardboy clothes entering and leaving within a span of few minutes. His call had made him diverted otherwise..His thoughts are interrupted by a knock.

A constable informs him that the Director is in the interrogation room. Sidharth closes his laptop and goes to the interrogation room. Anubhav Kashyap is a tall and lean man in his late 40s. He has salt and pepper short hair and light subtle. He is wearing a stripped short Kurta over his denims and a big oversized round framed glasses. He smiles as he finds Sidharth entering the room. He says," How are you now? Uss din toh bal bal bach gaye the." Sidharth sits in front of him and smilingly says," I am perfectly alright. But if you don't be honest, I don't think aap ki gardan bachegi." Anubhav smiles and says," I had cooperated that day when you had arrived at the studio, and I don't have any issue cooperating today also. I am not scared of losing my neck as I am innocent." Sidharth smiles at him again and says," You know I really don't get this pretension of your movie people. I know you are a writer and you have to put up this image of being so intellectual but you are forgetting where you are right now. We can see through the fake mask you all put." Anubhav shakes his head and says," ACP Srivastava, I know very well where I am. And what can I do if I am that intelligent..just kidding. Anyways I just want to make things clear that I had no motives to kill or injure anyone. So I am not scared of being interrogated." Sidharth smiles again and Ranne says,"Mr. Kashyap don't try and act smart with us. Only answer the questions that are being asked." Sidharth says," You shouldn't be scared of us Mr.Kashyap but from the killer who can be soon after you. You are so smart and you didn't understand why suddenly there was security posted around you."

For the first time, the Director looks nervous. He removes his glasses and wipes it using his handkerchief and wears it again. Sidharth leans towards the table and says," Wipe your face too, you are sweating." Anubhav touches his face and using his kerchief wipes his face too. Gaikward asks," Why were you chosen as the director? How was your relationship with Raj Kamal, the previous director?" Anubhav replies," I always wanted to direct movies and Rastogiji knows that. So when Raj died, he asked me and I said yes. Raj and I had really good relationship. We have done 5 movies together. He was like my older brother. When he was killed, I was really hurt. Trust me, I never wanted to take his place but .." Ranne asks,"Who gave you the book to write the script?" Anubhav waits a few moments and says,"Rastogiji had asked me to take a look at the book." Sidharth asks," Do you remember Roshini?" Anubhav Kashyap looks at him and says," Who Roshini?" Sidharth looks at Kambli who puts down the photograph of Roshini in front of Anubhav. He stares at the photo for a few seconds and says," No. I don't know her. Never seen her in my life." Sidharth leans back on the chair and starts to laugh. He then says," Kya bolatha Bhonsale? I am not scared? Just See his face.." Anubhav takes his handkerchief again and wipes his face.

Sidharth slams his hands on the table and says," I know you know her very well. So keep your this drama for your shootings and say the truth. Why are you the target? What had you done to that girl?" Anubhav starts to falter," T..arget..I am ..next target because of that girl..But.. " Sidharth says," No buts now. What did you do? If you want to live, say the truth. She had come to you for work right." Anubhav nods his head. He starts,"Many girls and boys come to me for getting a chance in the industry. They are ready to do anything to come before the camera." Sidharth gives him a smirk and says," And people like you take their advantage. Right.." Anubhav doesn't reply, looking at him he says," But..I haven't done anything to her. I don't have.." Ranne says," We know, where your interest lies..But you met Roshini why?" Anubhav replies,"Assitant producer Punit had one day brought her to me. He wanted me to suggest her name to Raj Kamal. I had said yes and had kept her photos. But I had not given him any...Punit had called me many times and told me to talk to Raj. One night, Raj had seen the photos of Roshini when he was at my home for a party. He liked her and wanted to meet her. I called Punit." He stopped for sometime and says," That night both Punit and Roshini had come to my place for the party. I don't know what happened between Roshini and Raj as I was busy.." Ranne says," Don't stop now." Anubhav says," Punit and I were you know together. Just then Roshini suddenly came into the room. She saw us together, got shocked and left immediately. I don't know anything else. I didn't ask neither Raj nor Punit about her. I heard she committed suicide after few day so I decided to keep quite. " Sidharth stands up and says," You felt it was not important to see if the girl might have been molested or hurt. Because you are one of the predator who feed on young boys and girls, taking their advantage. You call yourself creative people. You guys are leaches."

Sidharth storms out of the room to his cabin and sits down on his chair. It was clear now. An aspiring actress, wanted to make her own identity was used by people like Raj Kamal and others. She was taken to such extent where she had realised her dreams could no longer be real. And then she had killed herself. Sidharth picks up the glass to drink water when his phone rings. It's Sana. He picks it up and hears," Are we meeting tonight? You said you wanted to take me to see Dr. Anand." Sidharth rubbing his forehead says," Yes. We will meet there. I will call you before I leave. But what has happened. You seem happy." Sana replies," I saw her now..She was smiling..Did you find something about her, like what had happened to her?" Sidharth puts the glass down as he stays speechless hearing what Sana just told.

Visit to Dr.Anand might uncover may other things. What will they find wait for the next chapter to know. Keep reading and commenting on the chapter..And don't forget to vote by clicking the star below.

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