Chapter 41

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Chapter 41

Sanchi did not waste even a single moment as soon as she was allowed to visit Vihaan in the custody. Cold, dark and eerie, the cell looked no larger than a medium-sized kitchen room. Confining himself to a vivid corner behind the bars, Vihaan sat with his head down, hugging his knees to his chest.

Sanchi's weak heart palpitated to find Vihaan in such a poor condition, the able officer who was in the habit of fiercely shoving criminals into the cells almost daily. It was so unacceptable and humiliating enough for an honest officer to be sharing the similar cell for the murder of his own brother.

Vihaan was kept in special custody because of his identity and rank in the police department. His case would be transferred to the regular court after a thorough custodial interrogation before the CBI seniors in a couple of days. A retired high court judge would also be present during the interrogation procedures.

Sanchi knew if ever Vihaan's case moved to the court, the chances of Vihaan's absolvation from all charges would no longer be available. His service to the police and career would be hampered for the lifetime. Having known Vihaan even for only a few months and falling in love with the beautiful heart behind an arrogant face, she couldn't accept anything wrong to happen to him.

With shambling footsteps, Sanchi had walked the length of the dark passage, passing every empty cell on the way until she reached the room where Vihaan was, crouching in a specified corner. Clutching the iron bars, Sanchi whispered, "Vih-aan!!"

Upon hearing the broken yet beautiful voice, Vihaan didn't care to lift up his face. Tightening the hold on his knees, he mumbled, "Why did you come here? I told you to take care of my family because they need you. You are supposed to leave me alone, just go away from here."

"If you care for your fam-ily, why did you shoot your own bro-ther, the bro-ther who loved you the mo-st?" Sanchi spoke in a raised voice. "Un-less you tell me the truth, I'm not lea-ving from here. You know how ada-mant I can be."

Vihaan lifted his withered face and with a pale smirk, he shot an angry glare at her. "I have killed my own brother. What more truths are you willing to know?"

"I have hea-rd of this a thou-sand times that you have shot him. I want to know some-thing new, the rea-son as to why you have shot him. I kn-ow you can't do such a thi-ng to your bro-ther, not even in your worst night-mare. What if it was all a mis-conduct and you mis-takenly shot him?" Sanchi was intensely gazing into his reddened eyes.

Vihaan inhaled a deeper breath before closing his eyes again. "How many times will I tell the whole world that I have shot him...." He exhaled before adding, "I have shot him in my consciousness even after knowing that he is my brother. It took me a thousand breaths before pulling the trigger because I was totally aware I was going to shoot my own brother!"

Sanchi was taken aback with his statement. The truth was becoming difficult for her to digest. "You deli-berately did it but why, Vih-aan? You can't shoot him with-out a reason and if there is really a rea-son, why aren't you tell-ing the police, to papa, to Arjun? Why are you risk-ing your fame and car-eer for it?"

"I have no other option, Sanchi."

"You can't keep avoid-ing and hiding the truth fr-om me. Ple-ase tell me about it. I pro-mise I will keep it to my-self un-less you want it out. I can't see you like th-is." Tears flowed down her cheeks as her heart was bleeding with pain and sympathy for Vihaan.

The sight of Sanchi crying so near him raised the urge in him to embrace her with all the soft emotions which were brewing inside him. The situation they had fallen into was demanding enough to cry their heart out into each other's comforting arms. But to their doleful destiny, they had the barrier between them, the iron bars standing like a rock pillar to guard them against each other.

Rushing to the side of the bars, Vihaan stood only half-foot away from Sanchi, enclosing her palms on either side of the bar handles. "I am still trying to go strong even after committing such a thing, I feel as if I don't have life inside me. You need to stop crying now otherwise I'll die for the real time."

Bending her forehead against the bars, Sanchi cried. "You ne-ed to stop talk-ing of dying imme-diately. We have already lost Dhee-raj bro. I can't aff-ord to lose you."

Brushing her hair through whatever space he had in between the iron rods, Vihaan muttered, "You have already lost me. I don't know what severe punishment awaits me for killing a police personnel on duty."

"Don't devi-ate me more, I want to kn-ow what made you to do th-at." Sanchi lifted her head and crossed her arms.

"I will tell you but promise me you won't disclose it to anybody. I can't bear my family hating my brother when he is no more," Vihaan said, rubbing his moist eyes with the back of his palm.

Sanchi's eyes widened. "What do you me-an? Why will th-ey hate your bro-ther when he was so ama-zing and lovable to every-one?"

"He was the best person in my life, Sanchi. He was my first tutor when I was a toddler, my best friend throughout the growing ages of my life so far. We had never got dad to spend enough time with us because of his postings and busy schedules, but my brother was the fatherly figure to me. I am left with nothing now, it feels like someone has taken out my life from me." Vihaan's voice sounded heavy, full of emotions for his brother.

"I ha-ve seen the bond you sha-red with your bro-ther," Sanchi solemnly agreed, trying to read the expressions on his face.

"But when your same brother tries to attack your best friend and is on the verge of killing your dad, how can you resist yourself from taking the worst decision of shooting the closest person in your life?" Vihaan uttered in a feeble voice.

"Tell me more, Vih-aan. I knew you could-n't be totally wro-ng."

"Since when he returned from Goa and joined us on the mission at Agra, his behavior was strange. He was irked with Shaurya for taking dad and my help regarding the factory ordeal. One night when I was getting restless in sleep, I awoke after hearing a soft murmur and overheard him speaking to someone over a phone call. He was discussing about ruining Shaurya's business and demanding for more money." Vihaan paused for a second, giving time to Sanchi to infiltrate the truth.

"And th-en?" Sanchi asked in confusion.

"I couldn't believe myself then and even now. I can't believe my own brother was involved in all these. I doubt he was also helping the real culprits from the bureau, besides Tarun." Vihaan paused again before repeating in a lower tone, "I think he also married Vidya only to get closer to the Trivedi family and spoil their business."

"It can't be possi-ble, Vih-aan. I have seen how mu-ch he loved Vid-ya." Sanchi couldn't believe her ears.

"This is the sole reason why I chose to remain quiet. I don't want my brother to be remembered as a traitor by the people who loved him."

"So you chose your-self to be hated by peo-ple who loves you?" Sanchi nodded her head. "I'm going to ex-pose the real-ity before things get compli-cated. An honest offi-cer like you can't be punish-ed simply. Besides, the depart-ment needs you to solve the who-le of the case and ma-ny more cases in the ne-ar future. You can't lea-ve us like this."

"You promised me that you will not be telling anyone about it. If you utter a single word outside of this prison, I will choose not to even see your face." Vihaan warned her. "There are honest officers present at the bureau who can solve the case, my dad and Arjun. There are many more minions that the mastermind has left behind even after Tarun has been caught and my brother is dead. The police can always skip my brother's mentions because I'll be taking the blame on myself in the court of law."

"You can't do this. You can't for-ce your hon-est father to pun-ish his other son for some-thing he didn't do. Didn't he or Shaurya come to kn-ow about Dheeraj bro's inten-tions in Agra at all?" Sanchi frowned her forehead.

"Most probably they didn't because I was sharing my room with my brother and Shaurya was with dad. After that phone call, I started keeping an eye on his movements until when one day I found him trying to attack Shaurya with a knife from behind. Without revealing that I was present there, I called for Shaurya from a distance and he hid his knife instantly. On the final day, he was holding his gun against dad's head while dad was sitting alone at the empty hotel lobby."

"And th-en?"

"Before dad could turn around or my brother could shoot him, I pulled the trigger to my gun. I remember shooting him laterally because I only wanted to save dad. My intention was not to kill him but, somehow the bullet had hit him at some critical point in the head and he died on the spot. With his death, my world fell apart!" Vihaan lamented, lowering his eyes in guilt.

"Very few peo-ple poss-ess a great heart like you, Vih-aan."

"You are wrong, Sanchi. I am stone-hearted, who took away the life of his own brother." He held his breath for a few seconds before uttering again, "Remember, you are going to keep the secret to you. Don't dare to break your promise and I mean it."

Sanchi had no other option but to agree to him. "I can't give my con-sent to your deci-sion though I pro-mise I will not dis-close the truth to any-one. But do you think you can pro-tect your brother's false dig-nity for your whole life? There are yet honest offi-cers at the bureau and it is possi-ble that Dheeraj bro's wro-ng deeds could be expo-sed by them. They can still find clues or evi-dences against him."

"I will try my best to keep my dead brother's good image protected and you will support me. You are working with the bureau so you should see to it that the real mastermind is caught, leaving behind my brother's reality." Vihaan pulled her arms through the spaces between the rods.

Sanchi nodded, trying to pacify him. "I will try do-ing it though I don't want to. I'll see you aro-und again, Vih-aan."

With a heavy heart, Sanchi prepared to take leave from him. Clasping her wrist, he spoke for one last time, "My image has always been poor before my family. I was always the arrogant son but after this incident, they must be hating me."

"They are not ha-ting you. They are just pissed at you beca-use they don't know the truth, the truth of the vast-ness of your kind heart." Sanchi consoled him but deep in her heart she knew how much he was being humiliated by his own family.

"I know I deserve hatred from everyone but please can you take care of my family on my behalf? I know I have no rights to ask you this but I thought to request you once. Even if you leave my house after the six months agreement, please can you stay back for my family? My parents have got no one to look after them and even your sister Vidya needs you beside her." Vihaan's apologetic words melted Sanchi's heart.

Sanchi bit her tongue as a painful chill ran down her spine. Vihaan's pleadings were stabbing her heart. "I will ne-ver leave your fam-ily's side beca-use I consi-der them to be my fam-ily too. I pro-mise you and I hope God will do some mira-cle to free you of all offen-ces."

"I'm an atheist, please. God can do nothing and I don't want to get freed. You take care of yourself and have your food in time. Don't worry for me again since my future is decided now. But you have a long life to go," Vihaan concluded and turned his face away from her. Tears were already pricking his eyes and he couldn't allow Sanchi to see him crying again.

Sanchi waited for a couple of minutes, admiring him for how much longer she could, though his back was facing her. She perfectly knew that this one man was enough to make her fall in love with him, again and again, maybe significantly more this time. "How can I stop worry-ing for you when I am in love with you mo-re than you can ima-gine? Your poor condi-tion is torment-ing me inside out and I'm help-less. You don't beli-eve in mira-cles or God, but I do. You've bound me in your promi-ses but mira-cles do happen after break-ing away all the boun-daries!"

*****

The custodial interrogation at the CBI's special soundproof chamber was initiated on the proposed day, the second Thursday of the month of September. The senior chiefs of the CBI including Virendra and the retired high court judge Mr. Jaswant Kumar were present inside the big room.

Sanchi was impatiently waiting at the control room which was stocked with the connected monitors of the close circuit cameras from the chamber. The live view of the interrogation was available to the staff of the bureau and watching Vihaan's interrogation scene was difficult for her.

As soon as Vihaan was brought into the chamber by Arjun, Sanchi silently prayed to herself. Though she hadn't disclosed the real truth to Arjun or anyone else, but deep in her heart, she was carrying high hopes for her husband's acquittal.

The spokesperson of the CBI detailed the case before the concerned persons in the chamber, presenting the first autopsy report of the victim. It contained the evidence of Dheeraj's death from the bullet of Vihaan's gun.

The retired judge heard the CBI spokesperson attentively before turning to Vihaan. "Do you have any spokesperson for yourself? We need to know your side of the case."

Vihaan swiftly nodded his head. "I apologize Sir, but I don't have anyone. I request you to forward my case to the court."

The CBI spokesperson intervened, "We all know you are devastated by the death of your brother but we don't go by emotions. Without listening to your side of the story, nobody can take any decision. You are reputed as an honest officer and we can't rush with your case."

"I shot an on-duty inspector Dheeraj Singh Bundela dead on the spot and it is very much true. I accept my deed and I won't like to go against the laws because of the post I hold," Vihaan spoke in a convincing tone.

Virendra's gaze was fixed at Vihaan when he chose to speak this time, "What was the reason for you to shoot a bullet at the inspector? It's not like there was any encounter going on and you shot him in a trance."

"No Sir, I had really shot him in a trance. I was carrying my gun in hand to prevent any sort of attacks on Shaurya or his workers. When the trigger was pulled, the bullet projected out of the gun to land on his head." Vihaan tried to convince everyone in the room.

"A veteran officer like you can't be this careless." Virendra shot an angry glare at him.

"Mishaps do happen Sir," Vihaan casually prompted, causing Sanchi to shake her head in dissatisfaction before the monitor screen.

The judge spoke this time, "You may still rethink your decision so that we can probe further into the matter. Moving the case to the court won't be a good thing for someone like you. Do you want to surrender so easily?"

Nodding in affirmation, Vihaan opened his mouth to speak until a loud and energetic male voice interrupted the interrogation, "Officer Vihaan Singh Bundela is not going to surrender so easily."

The audience of the chamber came to a halt while Sanchi delightfully squirmed in her seat at the control room. The judge raised his eyebrows at the bearded tall man. "Who permitted you to enter the chamber without permission?"

The man shrugged his shoulders in amusement. "Ain't the spokesperson of the convict allowed in the room? But the chamberlain to this chamber allowed me in."

Virendra frowned. "What do you mean? Who are you?"

The man gave a small smile before speaking again, "My name is Tanvir Azad Mollah and I'm here to present as officer Vihaan's spokesperson. I'm sorry for the delay as you know the Indore traffic, Sir. This is my appointment letter."

As the man handed the envelope to the judge, Virendra asked him again, "Who appointed you?"

"Officer Vihaan Singh Bundela's wife, I mean Mrs. Sanchi Singh Bundela appointed me," Tanvir declared in an energetic voice.

Vihaan clutched his palms in rage, wondering to himself, "She broke her promise again! Couldn't she keep one secret to herself? Why won't she listen to me, not even for once? When nobody is believing me, why is she trying to save me? She is spoiling her own image before my parents, Vidya and family, by showing her support to me. I cannot become the reason of their hatred towards her!"

To be continued...

A/N: What are your new guesses for this twist? Every upcoming chapter will be having new twists!!

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