Bombay Romance ♡ COMPLETED

[ 42 ] Baat Ban Jaaye ■

Bombay Samachar newspaper article:

Raid at Dharavi, over 30 girls rescued from Flesh Trade; Raju Bhai in Lock-up

A surprise raid was conducted in Dharavi yesterday by the city Crime Branch police. Apart from seizing two shiploads of liquor smuggled from the Gulf, a shocking flesh trade racket has been busted within the lanes of the slum. Most of the victims belonged to the lower-middle class and below-poverty-line families, north-east Indian migrants as well as orphans.

It is to be noted that the raid was carried out just one week after the suspension revocation of Deputy Commissioner Amaranth Duggal and other subordinate officers. A shocked silence reigned in Dharavi as people realized the gruesome racket was being carried out in their own locality. The raid was spearheaded by Crime Branch DCP Amarnath Duggal.

Following this development, Rajashekaran Bhai was arrested at his mansion in Malabar Hills yesterday evening, under the non-bailable IPC Section 372. 

●●●

It is one of the private marble tables at a posh nightclub den in Colaba. Shimmering multicolour disco light balls are suspended from the false wooden ceiling. The modern beats of the music are blaring enough to fabricate a bass drum beating in the chest. On the wooden plank ceiling is a cabaret dancer, a large red flower on her hair, grooving in a skimpy dress; in fact, it's skimpier than the red satin dress Zeenat Aman wore in the movie, showcasing temptingly generous amounts of fair skin.

Aap jaisa koi meri zindagi mein aaye ...

toh baat ban jaaye ... haan haan baat ban jaaye ...

Amarnath doesn't bother to look in that direction. He pushes back his hair and fiddles with his whiskey glass. Suraj Bhai and the Crime Branch Joint Commissioner watch the dance with open lust. They regard Amarnath with disbelief as he draws his hand back in reflex, flaring his nostrils when the dancer wanders near the couch during the drum beats and drops her hand on his.

'It's okay, be free,' The JC thumps him on his back as the dancer steps away, tapping her feet to the last stanza. 'Boys of your age will be waiting for all this!'

'Scared of your wife?' Suraj snorts, lifting his glass. 'Yah shaadi nahi hui? At least girlfriend hain ki nahi?'

Amarnath lifts his eyes to look at him, expressionless.

Suraj grins. 'You can still have fun. You'll get such things only here. Your girlfriend will not dance like this for you!'

Amarnath's nails sear into his palms as he clenches his fist tight. His hand almost starts to his revolver. He has a good mind to plant a bullet or two into Suraj's big head. That is far easier for Amarnath than all this sweet talk business.

He takes a deep breath. He is here for a serious reason. Though the JC believes Amarnath is here because of his direct order; to create a socialize with the 'important people' of Bombay.

'You think people like him will have a girlfriend?!' The JC guffaws. 

Derisive laughter follows from Suraj and the JC. The song ends. The dancer pushes the thin flaps of her skirt, walks up to them and racily runs her fingers from the tip of Amarnath's shoulder to his shirt collar. Amarnath twists his shoulder, wincing as he jerks forward on the couch. 

Her greenish-blue contact lenses twinkle against the dim lights and her dark red lips form a capacious smile. She walks around the couch, flips the glossy brown curls off her bare shoulders and sits on the armrest.