21, July 1973
Sawan was about to start and light drizzle had started. In such a situation, the wet courtyard of Karun's house looked like a newly wed bride whom everyone in the neighborhood wanted to see. Often Karun and I used to enjoy such rain by eating tea and pakodas. Karun often locked himself in the room like everyday and I was sitting outside in the veranda, watching the rain outside. There was a lot of hustle bustle in Hanuman Gali of Chandni Chowk despite the rain. It was difficult to understand Karun but then I saw a fat middle-aged man inside the house who was wearing glasses. He had an umbrella in his hand and he came inside taking long steps. He did not look very old but the way he walked suggested that he did not do much work. He asked panting while keeping the umbrella aside.
Am I meeting Detective Karun Nair?
I looked at him and then introduced myself and said.
No, I am his friend Sujan Chatterjee. What business did you have with him?
Sir, my name is Vishal Shastri and I live in Kamala Market with my daughter-in-law and son Rachna Shastri and Kishore Shastri. Last night I was sleeping and when I woke up in the morning, my daughter-in-law was murdered. My son cannot walk. When I reached the room, my son had a gun in his hand and my daughter-in-law was shot in the head. My son was sitting in his wheelchair. But sir, I am saying with confidence that my son has not committed the murder. He loves his wife very much, so why would he kill his wife? He does not have any reason. But my son is adamant that he is the one who murdered his wife. There is someone who either forced my son to do all this or someone else committed the murder and got my son involved.
I felt very strange on hearing this and I replied with irritation.
Look Mr., when there was no one in the room except your son and daughter-in-law. Moreover, a gun was found in your son's hand, then this blood is absolutely clean. And you should go to a lawyer, what can a private detective do in this? Our job is not to prove someone innocent but to find the murderer of a murder, do you understand?
Vishal Shastri was looking at me with a strange look, his face had turned pale and it seemed from his expressions that he was very sad. But he looked at me again and said.
Will you arrange a meeting for me with Karun Nair once? I have come here with a lot of hope.
Just then Karun came from behind and said while rubbing his hands.
Sujan, I heard everything and I think we should leave. Anyway, I am feeling bored at home. Who knows we might find something useful at their house. So tell me Mr., has the police arrested your son?
The fat man replied immediately.
Not now, the investigation is still going on. The police will arrest my son only after the investigation.
Then it is good Mr Shastri, we should go to your house soon.
Karun said this and came out of the house and I and that man followed him. We took a rickshaw and reached Vishal ji's house, where the police was posted in the room. They were about to arrest Kishore but on seeing Karun they stopped. The dead body was still lying in the room. Karun looked at the room very carefully and said with a smile.
Inspector, you cannot arrest Kishore because he did not commit this murder.
The inspector was shocked to hear this from Karun but then suddenly said.
But how can you say this Mr Nair?
There are some points which are worth paying attention to like the first point is that the part of the woman's body on which the bullet hit makes an angle of 180 degrees between the injury and the person who fired the gun which means that Kishore will have to stand for that but Kishore is lame then how can he stand? The second point is that the murder happened this morning, what do you think is the right time for a lame person to kill his wife? When she was in bed next to him or when he is at a considerable distance from her. The third and last point is as Kishore's father Vishal Shastri said, there is no reason for Kishore to kill. Did he tell you the reason for killing?
Karun after saying this looks back at Kishore, Kishore answers with a smile.
I will answer all these three points to you Mr. The answer to the first point is this..
After saying this Kishore throws a ball kept on the table towards Karun to avoid which Karun bends to avoid which Kishore says.
See, now your head came in front of my hand because I did not stand up but you bent down. In the same way, I threw something towards Rachna and hit her and when she bent down, I fired the gun. This did not give her a chance to understand that I had hidden the gun and I was going to shoot that gun at her, so now the angle is 180 degrees, isn't it?
The second point is that if I had brought her near me and hit her or hit her on the bed, she would have easily defended herself because I am lame and cannot defeat her in physical strength, so I thought of hitting her with the gun when she is far from me. I do not think it is necessary to tell you the reason for your last point. Just understand that I have committed the murder, Inspector sahab, you arrest me.
I was surprised to hear this answer, he not only refuted Karun's argument but he himself wanted to be arrested, I had seen such a man for the first time. The inspector took Kishore away. Seeing this Vishal was crying bitterly but the strange thing was that Karun was smiling and said while keeping his hand on Vishal's shoulder.
Don't worry, your son is innocent. But give me some time to prove this. I will prove that your son did not commit the murder but first I have to understand why he is taking the blame on himself.