I rushed back from Bengaluru, on hearing
the sudden demise of my maternal uncle Paramasivam. Despite his advanced years,
he was reasonably healthy with no ailments. Lean and lanky, he never missed his
daily walks till recently. His cook Sundaram, a bachelor, who has been with him
for 30 years zealously ensured he ate limited but healthy food. My uncle
treated him like a brother and their affection for each other was great but was
muted not easily visible for others.
Paramasivam, a very wealthy man with
huge landed property, several houses at Chennai, Coimbatore and Salem where he
hailed from, unfortunately lost his wife in his late forties. He did not marry
again but brought home a young woman, Selvi by name, from Salem, whose
antecedents were not known. I have gathered from hearsay that her past was
shady but somehow inveigled into uncle’s heart. She brought along with her a
boy, who she claimed as her brother’s child. The boy was put in best school and
college till he eventually became a pharmaceutical graduate presently working
in Mumbai. He had come on a vacation when this sad event occurred.
My mother till she was alive never spoke to
her brother angered by his living with an unknown woman. I had pleaded in vain
with my mom that it was none of our business to judge what uncle did and with
whom he lived. But, I maintained cordial relations with my rich uncle hoping it
would be beneficial in the long run.
The spacious hall where his body lay was
crowded with people. A few from his native place in Salem were also seen.
Though there was a pall of gloom, no one seemed to be in great grief save the
cook Sundaram who was seen wiping his eyes frequently with his towel. Selvi
looked dazed sat in a cornet unable to digest the suddenness of the calamity.
Somehow I had never taken a liking for Sundaram with his show of undue deference
that I suspected was fake. The dislike must have been mutual. I was rebuked
once by my uncle when I spoke something against Sundaram.
While the purohit was busy with rituals
for taking the body for cremation, there was a sudden commotion when two or
three policemen headed by an inspector entered the house There was a hushed
silence with all eyes filled with unknown fear and an avid curiosity to know the
reason for their presence. No one dared to ask why they had come on such a
solemn occasion till the inspector announced after gently coughing that there
was a call from an unknown person informing that there was something amiss with
the old man’s death and needed an investigation. Everyone turned around looking
at other faces for a clue about the informant. The eyes rested a tad longer on
Sundaram and me. I wiped my face with kerchief unable to overcome this oblique
insinuation. Sundaram on the other hand was cool as cucumber.
The samples of the blood and viscera
were collected and the inspector asked the priest to defer the cremation till
next day and keep the body in the freezer till then.
The inspector asked the inmates of the
house and close relatives to stay back permitting others to leave. One could
hear the people who left wondering loudly whether there was some mischief in Paramasivam’s
unexpected demise.
Two constables were left outside the
house and the inmates were asked in stern tone to remain within the house till
next day morning when the lab results would be known. Uncle’s bedroom was
locked. The purohit was asked to come next day. I did not like the stentorian
and authoritative manner of the inspector but avoided rubbing him on the wrong
side. An attempt by the cook to fetch vegetables from outside failed as the
sentry did not allow him to go out.
The next day morning Selvi was called
inside the study by the inspector first. She was asked, it transpired later, what
her relationship with the deceased was like, whether she was married to him
secretly in any temple and why her brother’s son was with her instead of
brother and whether she was aware of any will made by Paramasivam or
discussions held regarding disposal of the property after his death.
She had replied though not married
legally despite her many requests to him they lived like a married couple and
that he had indicated he would not leave her in lurch. She confessed she was a sex
worker before she met Paramasivam. She did not know whether he had made a will
but he had a lawyer friend. Her answers about brother’s son were vague, neither
helpful nor did she know about her brother’s whereabouts. She discussed freely
about Paramasivam’s nephew and the cook expressing her opinion about them. I
know of her deep dislike for me. A police doctor collected blood samples of
Selvi and her brother’s son despite their protest.
It was my turn next and I went in with
some unease as I have had no such experiences in the past. The Inspector asked
after some pleasantries, “Gopal, I hear you are close to your maternal uncle
despite your mother’s staunch dislike for him. What was it that brought you
close to him? Were there any common interests like hobbies, games, literature
or politics?”
“Nothing like that. It was a natural
affection. He was my only uncle and led a lonely life. He had helped me financially
for my studies. He was a good and pleasant natured man bearing no grudge even
against my mom,” I said
“Do you visit him often and did you
recently bring eatables like sweets and confectioneries?”
“Why do you ask? Was there anything
wrong with lab results?” I asked rather jolted by the implied question.
“Answer my question,” he curtly said
“Yes, I visit him once in a month or
two. I do not fetch him any eatables except multi vitamin tablets for his
general health. He would not otherwise buy for himself saying it was unnecessary.
But he took them when I brought them. Is there anything wrong in the results?
“I asked.
“Where do you buy the tablets?”
“In a reputed pharmacy of a well-known
hospital.” I replied.
“Okay, please do not leave the house
till I permit you. I will call you later after talking to other members of the family,”
he said.
Sundaram was called in. The inspector
came out alone and talked to a couple of his men in hushed manner. All members
were asked to remain seated in the living room. When he went in, everyone heard
a long wail from Sundaram bemoaning his loss. “He was like my elder brother and
brought this orphan up with utmost affection. I have been orphaned again,” he
went on grumbling loudly till Inspector asked him to stop.
“Tell me who gives him his food daily.
Does he come to the dining hall or food taken inside?”
” Earlier he used to have his meals in
the hall. Of late all things are taken to his room by me. He does not walk much
complaining of tiredness”
“All thing means, what?”
“Morning coffee, breakfast, lunch,
evening tea and dinner,” he replied
“Does he take any medicines?”
“Yes, Sir, I give him a vitamin tablet
after breakfast. Gopal brings couple of bottles of these tablets once a month or
two.”
Meanwhile one constable entered and said
“We made intense search of the kitchen but could find only these medicine
bottles deep inside the bottom drawer of a cupboard.”
Turning to Sundaram, “These seem the
vitamin tablets we were talking about. Why are they kept in kitchen when the
medicine is intended for the master?” asked the inspector.
“It is easy for me to take it with
breakfast without forgetting,” he replied. The inspector did not ask him why
they were kept deep inside the bottom shelf.
“I understand your concern for your
master. What will you do now? Where will you go? “asked the inspector in a sympathetic
tone.” Do you think the master would have left something for you?” he added.
“He told me once not to worry about my
future after he is gone and that he would provide enough for my comfortable
living.” he replied.
Ï am not so sure as you are. These rich
people often forget those who had served them sincerely. He might have left the
entire thing for the woman and Gopal,” said the inspector provoking him to
react.
“No sir, he will never do that. He is a
kind hearted man and a philanthropist. I once overheard his speaking to his
lawyer recently how much to provide for each. I could not hear fully as Selvi amma
suddenly came” Sundaram said
The next day the inspector had Selvi and
her son, Sundaram and me brought to the police station. He had already discussed
with the lawyer about the details of the bequest. It seems that Paramasivam had
left 70% for charitable purposes,15% for Selvi,10% for Sundaram and 5% for
me with cash balance for miscellaneous
Sundaram was taken inside and told the
tablets contained slow poison that made him weak and kill in due course.The inspector said," I
learn from Gopal that the bottles are given with seals unbroken. It is evident
that someone in the house had tampered with medicine." Sundaram put on a show of
injured innocence professing his gratitude for his master and pleaded ignorance
about their being poisoned. He could not explain satisfactorily why the bottles
were kept hidden when the tablets are intended for daily use.
A mild treatment by the constables inside
a cell in the lock up was enough to break his will power and he began to
sing. Selvi and her son (not brother’s
as already corroborated by DNA test) along with Sundaram hatched a plan to get
the money quickly. Her son brought from Mumbai the poisonous drug that resembled
the vitamin tablet. Sundaram also confided after another beating to his amoral relationship
with Selvi.
When accosted with such evidence, Selvi
broke down and confessed her complicity. The three were arrested and I was
asked to go home urgently to attend to the final ceremonies of the departed
uncle.
Police
were tight lipped where from the initial call came and passed the buck to
lawyer to reveal to whom and in what proportion would the wealth go if Selvi,
her son and Sundaram were very likely convicted for murder.
