CHAPTER TWO: Reassignment & Relocation

Aniket Mathur has fallen in love with the City of Joy and of late has been visiting the city quite frequently. His favoured place to stay remains the abode of his friend Rudro. This Sunday morning, he was having the morning tea with Rudro and Sravani. Rudro was going through the Ananda Bazaar Patrika, a Bangla daily just to keep in touch with the language, his mother tongue while Aniket was engrossed in the Times of India and Sravani checking her emails on the iPad. Suddenly, Aniket excitedly asked, “Rudro, you remember Nikunj?” “What about him?” Rudro countered without lifting his head. In response, Aniket simply pushed his paper to Rudro pointing at a small news piece. It was the news of the massacre somewhere in the remote hills of northern Kashmir. Rudro was stunned to silence for Nikunj was his buddy in school and were in regular touch with each other till recently. Aniket broke the silence, “Rudro, what are you thinking?” Rudro was still thoughtful and when he opened his mouth it was almost in whisper, “The supreme sacrifice of our buddy must not go in vain; his brutal murder shall be avenged”.

Aniket was supposed to meet Sunanda Mukherjee (she had reverted to her maiden surname) for lunch but cancelled it to be with Rudro at his time of grief. Aniket knew Nikunj through Rudro and had developed a close friendship as well. He remembered the good times they shared at Rudro’s Delhi home when Nikunj was on furlough during Diwali. He decided to pitch-in in pursuit of justice for Nikunj. Although, Aniket keeps a low profile in public places, he was highly connected to the higher ups in the central government circle. He called up his contact in Delhi and requested for an appointment with a minister he knew would understand the requirement and help move things. He was assured that a confirmation will be communicated by evening.

The call came late in the evening when Aniket was having a quite dinner with Sunanda at her new apartment in Alipur. He was informed the meeting would take place at the Shastri Bhawan office of the Minister around at 4 pm the following day. He was further warned the minister was a stickler for time and has agreed for a 15 minutes window only. Aniket immediately booked the Vistara early morning flight to Delhi and informed Rudro that he will be spending the night and the following day with Sunanda. He did not want to involve Rudro at the moment. Rudro would anyway get involved when the time is ripe.  

The junior minister in the ministry of Commerce & Trade, Ms. Mira Singh is an MP from Ranchi, Jharkhand who had a promising career in the Civil Services but had chucked it to pursue a career in politics and is known as a firebrand. She had a reputation of being stickler for time and taking action immediately if convinced, going beyond the protocol of the ministries. The affected ministries often would sulk in private but never raised the issue as she is the blue-eyed girl of the high command. Aniket Mathur reached Shastri Bhawan 30 minutes early and had a quick chat with the director Subbu (Subramanian), a long-time friend.

“Madam is in good mood today, so go ahead with your proposal but be very precise. She doesn’t like too much back story and prologue.” Subbu told Aniket.

“I will try to be as brief as possible. Will you be there at the meeting?” Aniket said. He was a bit nervous to meet the fiery minister alone and sought the presence of his friend.

“That depends, if she feels like, then I will be called but as of now it is one2one meeting” Subbu said and winked at Aniket.

“Good evening Maám” Aniket said as he approached the desk of the minister.

“Good evening, Aniket” she replied and then said “You know Aniket, I have a name which I seldom hear in this office building… I am actually tired of hearing Madam… please call me Mira”.

Aniket was relieved at the warmth and explained his reason to meet her… “I know the matter doesn’t relate to your ministry but I also know that you can use the right keys to unlock the doors that can bring justice to my martyred friend Nikunj”, he blurted out in one breath.

Mira Singh pushed a glass of water towards Aniket and said, “Relax and tell me a bit more of the incidence, I have heard about it vaguely”.

Aniket took out the press clipping and handed over to Mira Singh and told her about his chat with Col. Debabrat Das and how he missed killing/ capturing the kingpin Mukhtar Abbas Pathan. He also informed that the latest intelligence report confirmed that Pathan has crossed over to PoK and hiding there under the patronage of the govt.

“So, what do you propose?” Mira Singh asked directly.

“Before, I propose anything; I must also tell you that Colonel feels there’s mole in his platoon. Information about the strike was leaked, otherwise there was no reason for Pathan to escape from the camp in a hurry with only a handful of his follower… he usually moves with a full contingent of at least 50 jihadists.”

“Finding the mole is the concern of the army, I cannot interfere in that but I will definitely let the concerned ministry know of Col. Das’ hunch. About the other matter, I will talk to the HM but Aniket, you know how fast govt machinery moves, and so have patience.”

There was nothing more to discuss but before leaving, Aniket casually asked, “I am sure Mira, you have heard about DCP Rudra currently posted in Kolkata?”

“Oh yes, I have heard about him and his exploits. Is he really that good?” Mira asked.

“I leave the judgement to you, Madam Minister”. Aniket replied and left the minister’s chamber.

Subbu invited him for a drink at the Press Club across the road and promised to drop Aniket at his sister’s place in Noida.

Aniket flew back to Kolkata next day in the afternoon.

In the evening, while having dinner, Sravani casually asked, “So, Aniket, when are you permanently moving to Kolkata?” Aniket lost in the thought, replied, “Not in the near future. We might be globe trotting in the days to come.”

“What do you mean by WE? Countered Rudro.

Aniket realized his mistake and mumbled, “I meant, Sunanda and I were planning for a European trip”. But Rudro could sense the discomfort of his friend and changed the subject, “Ani, it’s been over two years now, you are dating Sunanda, have you decided to take the plunge into holy matrimony or remain a hippy?”

Aniket grinned widely and said, “Not yet bro, we want give space to each other for some more time.” Sravani said, “Don’t give too much space otherwise the boats may drift away”.

“May be in six months’ time, hope that’s not too much”, Aniket replied with a wink.

Aniket was unable to sleep, so he decided to work on his thesis which was almost complete but needed some fine tuning. He expected it to be accepted by his guide Prof. Indrajit Sengupta at JNU and his PhD to come through in next six months. He had discussed this with Sunanda and both had agreed to wait till then before announcing their union.

In the morning, Rudro dropped Aniket at Alipore on his way to his office in Lal Bazaar. Aniket, decided to spend the day working on his thesis in the quite of Sunanda’s serene apartment. He spoke to Prof Indrajit Sengupta and fixed a meeting to discuss and submit the thesis within a week. He sent the pdf files of the sections that were vetted and ready for the professor to assess and give feedback while he concentrated on the remaining part.

In the late afternoon, Aniket received a call, “Hi, this is Mira. I have a chat with Bhai and he has agreed to do the needful but you know, even for him it will take at least 10-12 days to ensure the movement. He also promised to speak to Nitin (Defence Minister) about Colonel’s concern. Please have patience.”

“Thank you, Mira. I shall wait for the pieces to fall in place. By the way, I will be coming to Delhi next week and would love to take you out for dinner” replied Aniket.

“Are you asking me out on a date, Aniket? You must be knowing that I am married to a very handsome Airforce Officer” Mira laughingly replied.

“Bring him along, I will be delighted to meet the man who tamed the tigress.” Aniket said while laughing aloud. The call ended with them agreeing to meet the following week.

Rudro’s day was quite boring, according to him, doing administrative work. He reflected that the city has become quite calm and peaceful. He needed some action otherwise, he felt, he will become lethargic. His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the desk phone. “Hello, DCP Rudro here”, he answered the call.

“Rudro, what’s up? What game are you playing now?” the man on the other side barked on the phone.

Rudro was tempted to say, “Sir, games are for you guys, I hate politics” but refrained and said, “I don’t know what you are talking Sir. I have become a completely desk bound clerk with administrative things like sanctioning leaves and recommending housing to the staff. In one word, bored”.

The commissioner, Jag Pratap Singh or Jayjay laughed aloud and said, “Whatever it is you are doing, I have been instructed to take you along in the evening to meet Her Majesty, so you better be ready.”

“Her Majesty” is none other than the Chief Minister Aparna Dasgupta, a three times CM with a reputation of being a tough task master. She is a spinster and a firebrand politician, even the PM, though from rival party, admires her. Rudro had a cordial relation with her, not too close, not too distant…he had read somewhere that one should not be too close to fire and get burns and not too distant to be left in the cold. He called his junior to get a gist of the cases under investigation, especially the ones with political shades.

“Good Evening, Madam Chief Minister” Commissioner & Rudro spoke in unison.

“Good Evening. Please take your seats. Can I offer you some tea?” Chief Minister asked and without waiting for their answer, picked up the intercom and instructed the person on the other side to bring 3 cups of Darjeeling tea along with her favourite Aloor Chop.

She seemed to be relaxed on the surface always, even during any crisis but insiders tell about her “Frankenstein” avatar if her instructions are not followed. She maintains a simplistic lifestyle in public, wears simple white saree seemingly worth few hundred rupees but really valued in upwards of 25000 rupees, being very fine cotton, most suitable in the sultry weather condition of Bengal. She studied Rudro with intent before speaking, “Rudro Babu, what are you upto? The Central Home Minister has been asking about you. He specifically asked how long you are here in KP and if I would let you go.”

“He is with us a little over 3 years now. And Madam, whether you let him go or not, I will surely not want him to go anywhere. He has brought the crime rate down significantly, especially the syndicates are out of business because of him.” Jayjay spoke before Rudro could respond.

“I know, he is an asset to your force but it seems, he is needed for some bigger issue at the centre stage. The equation is beyond you and me.” Aparna Dasgupta replied.

Rudro had mixed feelings, on the one hand, he was restless for some action while on the other hand he had fallen in love with the city of joy, for its diverse culture and the vast array of food choices, he particularly liked the authentic Chinese cuisine of China Town. Sravani and he, had made it a routine to visit Flurry’s at least two Sundays every month for their breakfast.

The CM broke the silence and said, “I told the HM that I can let you go only after the Durga Puja. I want you here to ensure the festival goes on smoothly without any incidents.” She continued, “Meanwhile, you have to go to Delhi and meet him once, so, between you and Jayjay decide when you can go… I suggest a Friday would be better; those guys are a bit relaxed at the weekends.”

It was decided that Rudro will go to Delhi, following Friday morning and come back latest by Saturday if not the same day evening. The meeting ended with pleasantries.

In the evening at the dinner, Rudro announced that he’s going to Delhi on Friday morning. “Wow, I am also going to Delhi on Friday to meet Prof. Indrajit Sengupta.” Aniket blurted out.

“You were in Delhi last week as well, though only for a day.” Rudro replied with a mysterious smile.

“How do you? I haven’t told anyone, not even Sunanda.” Aniket sounded agitated.

“Relax my friend, I practically run this city and it is my job to know who’s coming and who’s going. I have people at every nook and corner of the city for information and since you are my close friend, guys at the airport took extra interest to know your destination and itinerary.” Rudro replied with a wide smile.

“Anyways, if you haven’t bought your tickets then let me arrange it through my office, you can enjoy the discounted fare.” Rudro added.

“When do you plan to come back? I may have to stay back for a few days to finalize my thesis in consultation with the professor.” Aniket replied.

“You may spend whatever time you want to spend in Delhi, I will be back on the same day or next day morning. The CM doesn’t want me absconding from the city for long.” Rudro replied laughingly.

“If you are coming back on Friday evening, please bring Bhalla-Paapri Chat from Bengal Sweet House, Bengali Market”, Sravani demanded. All of them laughed out loud. “That reminds me to get some Nolen Gurer Sondesh for my sister, she complained last time” declared Aniket.

Rudro and Aniket, landed at IGIA on time in the morning of Friday. It was decided that Rudro will drop Aniket at the JNU to meet the professor and then he will proceed to meet the Home Minister, the meeting is scheduled just after lunch, so he had enough time in hand. On the way he called up his sister, Rupali that he might drop in for the night stay. He had no clue what’s going to be the discussion point in the meeting. In fact, what little he knew about HM, made him nervous.

Rudro reached the North Block and presented himself at the reception. The receptionist after checking with the concerned, called an aide to take Rudro to HM’s office. He was ushered in a large lounge area where he met the OSD of the minister who asked him to wait as the minister is in another meeting. Since, Rudro had no inkling about the subject of the meeting, he wasn’t carrying any documents of even his briefcase with him, he fiddled with his phone to pass the time. He was anxious and couldn’t concentrate on his Sudoku game.

After some 15-20 minutes, he was called into the chamber of the Home Minister. Contrary to his public image of a stern person who seldom smiles, the HM was quite a jovial character. He got up from his chair to welcome Rudro and inviting him to the sofa set at the corner of the room.

“You prefer Darjeeling liqueur, isn’t it?” HM asked as they sat down. The assistant nodded and left the room to arrange the tea.

“How’s Sravani? And I do hope our dearest Didi is not making you lose your sleep.”

“Oh, she’s fine, happy, I guess. And no, the CM too is happy with my presence in the city.”

The tea arrived with a plateful of veg sandwiches and cookies. Once they were alone, the HM spoke more seriously, “I am sure, you have heard about your friend Nikunj Niyogi. We did strike out the terror camp that was responsible. His sacrifice did not go in vain. However, the leader, Mukhtar Abbas Pathan managed to escape with few of his associates. At the high-level meeting, the PM has asked for the head of Pathan, dead or alive. A Special Task Force has been created from across the services. You are to join that STF immediately. Any questions?”

“Sir, I am honored to be considered and included in the force. However, I need to wrap up business in Kolkata which may take about a week.”

“You don’t worry about that, as we speak, the CM has replaced you with another officer and there’s a mover-n-packer at your residence to help you relocate here in New Delhi. You have been assigned an apartment in the newly constructed complex in Netaji Nagar, it’s not as big as your current home but Sravani will like it and make it a home. We have to consider the security angle too.”

The phone in Rudra’s pocket vibrated, he took it out to check the caller, it was Sravani.

“Please take the call.” The HM smiled.

“Hi, what’s up? I am in a meeting.”

“Did you send the movers-n-packers? At least you should have informed me.” Sravani was agitated.

“It happened in a hurry, just let them pack up, I will explain later in the evening.”

“So, are we all set for the new chapter? Hope, you will be join your team on Monday. I will inform Colonel Diwakar Pandey, your Commanding Officer.”

Rudra came out and called Aniket.

“I have to go back to Kolkata in the next flight. What’s your plan?”

“I will have to stay back for a few days, my paper has been accepted and the viva/ interview will be scheduled in next few days. Hope to get the ‘Dr.’ prefixed to my name soon. And oh, congrats on your new assignment, hope you will be back on Sunday to join us for dinner.”

“How do you know?”

“Well, it’s my job to keep tab on my friends and by now you would have realized I have people at places that are helpful. Nikunj is blessed to have a friend like you, don’t spare that scoundrel Mukhtar Abbas Pathan.”

Rudra was a bit shocked but knew Aniket has a hand in his new assignment. He got into the assigned car and instructed the driver to take him to Bengali Market first and then to the airport. As the car left the ministry, he received a message from the airlines that his ticket to Kolkata is confirmed and can be collected from the counter at the airport.

Rudra reached home late in the evening to find a packed-up home with just their bed in place to sleep and the dining table which will be packed up later and added to the container. Rudra explained the happenings of the day to Sravani as they enjoyed the Bhalla-Papri Chaat from the Bengal Sweet House, Bengali Market. “You know, when the government wants to do something, they act very swiftly and persuasively, otherwise to make Aparna Dasgupta and Jayjay to release me without any delay and fuss was impossible.” Rudro lamented.

They decided to take the Sunday morning flight to Delhi. Rudra called up the property agent to find a suitable buyer for the flat. He was done with Kolkata.