“Well, I keep hearing rumors about you being involved with a girl called Poonam who was found dead in my PHC. I just wanted to know if you knew her,” Rajiv started.
Prem's expression hardened. “I don't know what you are talking about. I don't know any Poonam. And let me give you some unsolicited advice. Rumors are exactly that, rumors and should be treated as such. Now if you would excuse me, I have to go,” he said, taking a step back.
Rajiv stood there for a long time, analyzing all the information he had gathered so far. He thought he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. What was the actual truth? What had happened at the PHC on that fateful night? He checked his watch. It was too late to go back so he started walking towards Har ki Pauri. He spent the evening sitting by the side of the river Ganges, watching the multitudes descend on the river to wash away their sins and seek salvation.
'Will bathing in Ganges offer me my salvation or must I find a way to make Prem Gupta speak the truth?' he thought. As the light faded and the night descended, the devotees set afloat small leaf boats with flowers petals and diyasin the waters. Rajiv watched the hundreds of lamps twinkling in the river and pondered to find a way forward. He was convinced that there was more to this matter than a simple case of suicide. He was also sure that Prem Gupta knew more than he was letting out and he held the key to the conundrum. Yet, there was no way he could get him to cooperate. He looked upwards as a supplication for divine intervention. He racked his brains some more and suddenly had a brainwave.
Mandar Jadhav! The name clicked in his mind. Mandar, his classmate who was bitten by the civil services bug mid-way during the medical course. He had tried the exam twice and had cracked it on the second attempt, to make it in to the IPS. As far as he remembered he was in the Uttaranchal cadre. He took out his phone dialed some numbers. The first two friends he rang up did not know where Mandar was posted but he hit pay dirt on the third attempt. He rang up Mandar's ex-roommate Vinay and got talking to him. “Mandar is presently posted as ASP Haridwar. We spoke just a couple of days back,” Vinay informed.
“Serendipity!” He thought as he approached a policeman on duty at the Ghaat and asked him the direction to the ASP's residence. He walked up to the plush bungalow and rang the bell. A servant opened the door but Rajiv could see Mandar standing in the background. The servant tried to push him back as he forced himself in and Mandar turned towards the source of commotion. He made his way towards the entrance, peering in the semidarkness. Recognition dawned and he exclaimed, “Abe Rajiv, what are you doing in Haridwar? Come in.”
Rajiv was ushered in to the utilitarian sitting room. The room was completely bereft of feminine touch. He grinned at his old friend in delight and said, “The condition of this room supports the presumption that you haven't still got married.”
“Bang on, Rajiv. I live alone with a man to cook and clean for me. But this is not going to last for too long as my parents are pestering me to get married and settle down. But tell me what are you doing here?” Mandar asked.
“Would you believe me if I told you that I am investigating a case of suicide or probable murder?” Rajiv questioned back.
“I thought in Provincial Medical Services the only cases you investigate are of jaundice and diarrhea,” Mandar guffawed, reclining on the chair.
“It's a long story. Would you mind if I put up with you for a day or two? I can fill you in while we have dinner,” Rajiv requested.
“There is no one in this house except me and the servant. Make yourself comfortable. Should I ask the boy for some tea or are you still a coffee junkie?” Mandar asked as he suddenly remembered the copious amounts of coffee Rajiv used to consume in the hostel.
“Whatever! My PMS tenure has taught me to drink tea as well,” Rajiv said.
Rajiv told him the events so far over dinner. Mandar was initially skeptical but soon got involved in the out of the ordinary narrative.
“I have heard some tall tales in my tenure in the IPS but your story is totally unbelievable. Are you sure you are all right?” Mandar raised an eyebrow.
“Well, I am not a basket case. I am not suffering from delusions, hallucinations, and Schizophrenia or Multiple personality disorder if you are hinting at any of them,” Rajiv said, looking at his friend in a serious manner.
“But what are you telling me is hardly believable. Do we have a shred of evidence?” Mandar asked.
Now it was time to pull out his aces. Rajiv pulled out the envelope with the photographs and the copy of the marriage certificate and showed them to Mandar.
“The marriage certificate and the honeymoon photographs prove conclusively that the two got married. Why did they hide the fact from everyone? Was Prem Gupta present when Poonam died? He feigned depression and quit ICICI and it is obvious that he had another job lined up at time of quitting. Was Poonam's suicide, a suicide or did someone, presumably Gupta, assist her? Now this is how far I have reached but now I need your help to proceed further,” Rajiv summarized.