A CORPORATE SCANDAL

#16

Doctor Harit received a call from his sister Divya while he was driving his car to his clinic. He attended the call.

He answered, " Divya! "

She said, " The man is gaining consciousness. "

Harit stopped his car at a U - TURN and turned his car right to the U turn and geared up.

Akash opened his eyes slowly and found himself on a bed. His right wrist was covered with a gauze bandage. Divya entered inside and looked at him. Akash kept looking at her for a while. He tried to lift himself from the bed.

" No! No! No. You don't have to get up. "
Divya told him.

She came to him with a cup containing tomato soup. She kept the cup besides the bed on a table.

Akash asked her in a low voice, " For how long I have been here? "

She sat on a stool near the bed.

She replied, " More than three months have been passed Mr. Bansal. You were in coma stage for a long time. "

" How do you know my name? "

She pulled out a drawer from the table by the bed. She took out a small pouch in which Akash's belongings were kept. She opened the pouch and took out his driving licence

She smiled, " We went through your belongings and found your driving licence. "

Akash managed to sit on the bed and took his license. He kept looking at the license for a while.

She asked, " Do you remember anything? "

He kept the license on the table. She gave him the cup.

" What is this? "

" Tomato soup. "

He had a sip of the soup. He looked at the TV which telecasted an exclusive news about Dheeraj Joshi's death. The news made him to remain startled.

She asked him, " Does it remind you about something? "

" Yes. This is why they tried to kill me. "

" Do you know them? "

" I remember a face. "

He nodded his head. Dr. Harit entered the house and went inside the bedroom where Akash and Divya were having the conversation. Divya to see him.

Harit asked him, " Are you all right Mr. Bansal? "

He looked at him.

Harit added, " I am a medic. It was me who had brought you here for the treatment. "

Divya interrupted, " Mr. Bansal has got a reminder about something from the news. "

Akash said, " I have to go to my home. "

" Sorry to say Mr. Bansal but you have to be here unless you are fully recovered from your limb injury. "

" If I don't go to my home something would be going to happen. Please doctor, I have to go now. "

Akash nodded his head.

Satish poured two cups of coffee from a vending machine at his bakery. He walked out of the shop and offered one to Inspector Ghosh. They began to have a walk along roadside.

Ghosh asked, " Three bakeries? "

Satish replied, " Four. We have recently inaugurated the one last week. "

Ghosh chuckled, " For how long do you know Mr. and Mrs. Bansal. "

" Well, they wlare good couples actually. Whenever I have met Mr. Bansal he has always been a kind gentleman. But I haven't seen him for more than three months. "

" Did you try to contact him? "

" I didn't have to because they pays me their rent without any delay. "

Satish added, " Once I remember the day of new year. I had visited them but he was not there. Mrs. Bansal was only there. "

" She is pregnant for six months. "

" That's a point. Mr. Bansal was an infertile. That's why they began to have argument with each other. "

" Is it true that Mrs. Bansal had an extramarital affair with someone she knew? "

" I don't know but one of the neighbors had once told that he had seen a man multiple times with Mrs. Bansal. He could be the one. "

" Dheeraj Joshi. Did you get something in your head by the name? "

" He is in news nowadays. "

Anaya stepped out of school after it went over. She walked a bit ahead and was interrupted by Shruti.

She asked, " Anaya? "

" Yes? "

" Your dad has sent me to pick you up. He is actually busy in the office so he just asked me to pick you up. "

" Sorry. Can I have a conversation with him over a phone ? "

" Sure. The phone is in the car. Come with me. "

Anaya walked towards the car followed by Shruti. Inspector Yuvraj was on the driver seat who looked at them walking towards him.

Akash was on the passenger seat while Dr. Harit was driving. Akash took out his mobile phone out of the pouch. The phone was damaged. Dr. Harit looked at the phone. He picked up his phone from the dashboard and handed over it to Akash.

Dr. Harit asked, " Do you remember her number? "

" I should try. "

Mrs. Bansal heard the door knock. She opened the door where Inspector Ghosh was standing before her. He entered the house aggressively and pointed his gun to her.

She screamed, " What you are doing? "

" Where is Akash? What you did with him? "

She shook her head, " I had told you. He has gone out of city for a client. "

" No. You are lying. You had got him killed with the help of your so called lover Dheeraj Joshi three months ago. "

" I didn't. "

" Yes you did. Akash was an infertile that's why you got involved with Mr. Joshi for money and he became the father of your child. "

" This is not true Inspector! "

Inspector Ghosh bent his hand down and walked towards a table. He picked up the asthma inhaler from the table and turned her.

He asked, " He was suffering from asthma. Why would he leave such a crucial object which is a lifeline for him? "

Mrs. Bansal's phone rang which was kept in the kitchen. She went inside and looked at the screen which displayed an unknown number. She took the phone out.

Inspector Ghosh said, " Turn on the loudspeaker. "

She picked up the call and turned on the loudspeaker. It was Akash on the other end.

Akash said, " Swati? "

She replied, " Akash! Is it you? "

" Thank god. I tried to reach you. I had almost forgot your number? "

Inspector Ghosh took the phone from her.

He said, " Mr. Akash? "

" Who's this? "

" Mr. Akash. This is Inspector Arun Ghosh this side. Can you tell me where are you right now? "

" I am with Dr. Harit. I am coming back to home with him. "

" Dr. Harit? "

Dr. Harit joined the conversation.

He said, " Mr. Akash was in coma stage for the last three months. He was staying at my house for the period. He is recovering now from his injury. "

Akash said, " I will be there... "

Before Akash could talk the phone was hung up.

Swati Bansal washed her hands on the washbasin to remove blood stains from her hands.