The clinching evidence (1297)

This is just a fictional story and there are many cases where police have shown great compassion and extended ready help in their call of duty.

Ranga was languishing for the last one day in this small lockup secured by a steel door. When he was asked earlier by a constable to follow him, he did not know why he was being taken away at 10 pm from his home. He asked his shocked wife to stay behind and not come to the police station on any count in the night. His two children, a girl of thirteen and a boy of ten years were sobbing. Ranga had no history of crime or even minor offences. He was a quiet person minding his work. His only weakness is for a glass of liquor after the day’s hard work and no one knew he drank except his wife.

The Sub Inspector with his frightening bushy moustache that extended from one ear to the other asked him in a gruff tone, ‘How long are you working with Manoj? “

Which Manoj, Sir?” asked Ranga softly

There was an instant slap on his face by the SI followed by a bark “Are you acting? I will break your bones, mind you, if you dare ask questions again. I mean the loafer Manoj who lives in the adjacent street of yours.”

“Oh, that Manojkumar. He studied with me in the municipal school and I have known him from my younger days. We are not in contact. What happened to him, Sir?”

“He murdered a man, to whom he had been selling Ganja and who owed him money and threatened to expose Manoj. We know he has been supplying the stuff but there is no proof to clinch in the court. If you sign a statement that you have known Manoj for a long time and are aware of his dealing with Ganja, we will let you go free. We know you are a good man. We need this cooperation from you to render justice to the murdered man,” said the SI

“Sir, I have not seen him for some years. Honestly, upon God, I am not aware of his dealing with Ganja. Though I have heard that he was threatening the petty shopkeepers and forcibly collecting money and spending it on liquor and cheap women, I knew nothing of Ganja. I avoided his company for these reasons.”

“So, you are not willing to cooperate with police to punish a murderer because he is your close friend. Mind you, fool, you will come to grief if you do not cooperate with us. I can book you also in the same case. I have enough people who will give evidence of your partnering with Manoj. It is late. Be a good man. You have a young wife and a teenage daughter. Tomorrow morning your wife will come. Talk to her if you wish to. I want the signed statement by 9 am. Don’t say I have not warned you. I know the ways to extract the statement from you. Don’t push me to that length.” saying this he left.

He could not sleep that night at all. He was tormented with the thought if the police fellows foist some false case on him and put him in jail, his wife and children would come to the street. They have no one to look after them. There was no money too as they were living hand to mouth. But his conscience would not allow him to utter a lie against Manoj as he had no contact with him at all. He did not know how to escape from the clutches of police without making a false charge on a man who did not harm him.

Early in the morning, the policeman nudged him with his baton. He saw his wife standing before him with dishevelled hair and eyes that spoke of a sleepless night. She was crying inconsolably.

Ranga asked her “Why are you crying so much? What happened? Did anyone trouble you? Tell me quickly.”

She said hitting her head with her hands” I have not seen our daughter since morning. She went out at 5 am to relieve herself. I dozed away. In the morning when I woke up, she was not there. I checked hither and thither. She is not to be seen.”

Ranga was shocked beyond words and started crying like a child along with his wife. The SI entered just then and asked what the commotion was all about. When the constable explained about the daughter missing, he laughed loudly.

He called Ranga by his side, patted him on his shoulder and said in a very assuring voice “Don’t worry about your daughter. I will trace and fetch her unharmed within an hour or even less. But you must do your duty to the country in punishing a murderer by signing this statement. Read carefully. You have only said that you have seen him having possession of Ganja in the past. You are not talking of murder or any such thing you have not seen. I will not ask you to do such wrong things. I am interested in your welfare for the sake of my sister, your wife. Be good and reasonable.”

He ordered two cups of tea and placed the pen in his hand. He told the constable to leave them alone.

When Ranga wanted to see the girl first, the SI told him “OK, I will have her searched immediately and bring her here on the condition you agree to sign the statement. Tell me in five minutes after talking to your wife.”

In ten minutes, the drama ended with the girl safely with Ranga and his wife and the signed statement in the hands of SI.

Foolproof evidence of Ganja-dealing by Manoj was available to the police to clinch the murder charge.

“You may go home now but remember you must come here whenever you are wanted. If you are going out of town, do tell me in advance,” instructed the SI. It was then his phone on the table rang. As soon as he heard the speaker at the other end, the SI stood up deferentially saying,” Yes Sir…. Did not know sir..., Will do Sir…, Sorry Sir.,” even as he was looking at Ranga and his wife now and then.

When the brief call was over, he wiped his sweating face and asked Ranga,” Why did you not tell me at the first instance the municipal councillor is your wife’s brother? Who informed him about your being brought to the station? Did your wife tell him?"

When she said that she did not, the girl said innocently, that she went to her uncle early morning and informed him about Dad having been taken away to the police station and kept there.

Shrugging his shoulders in disgust, the SI said, "Anyway the damage has been done by your daughter. Never mind, I will allow you all to go home. I will have called someone else to get the evidence. But you must do me a favour. Ask your wife to inform her brother that you were treated well at the station with dignity and were asked some questions about one Manoj. Please ask her not to mention on any account about the paper you signed. I will ask the jeep driver to drop you all at your home. I will not trouble you anymore. We will be friends. If you need any help, you can always reach me.”

Ranga did not reveal that the councillor was only his wife's cousin and not a brother but assured him,” I will tell her  surely, Sir."

Turning the cigarette lighter on, the SI said,” Here is the paper you had signed. Before you leave, do burn it here itself to rest assured,” and the SI sighed in relief when it was turned into ashes.