A Scrutiny Of Gray Cells
19th July 2012
8.15 am
Anaysha’s office:
8.15 am
Anaysha’s office:
Mrs. Anaysha Shelvankar, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not fitful occasions when she was up all night, was seated in her high back chair in her office. I stood on the rug with a couple of cups of coffee. Her entire attention was riveted to an amber kerchief.
“When will you stop entering my office in your manky sandals?” she said.
“Uh-Oh! Sorry! I was in a hurry. I couldn’t find you at the breakfast table. Anyway, here’s your coffee”, I said as I sat down facing her pensive visage.
“Tell me Ronit. What do you make of our visitor’s kerchief? Since we’ve been so infelicitous as to miss the person and have no notion of her errand, this accidental souvenir becomes of importance. Let me hear you reconstruct the person by an examination of this kerchief”, Anaysha said while she took a sip of her coffee.
“How do you know our visitor is a she?” I said.
“Well, I can get a smell of jasmine from this kerchief, and men don’t use perfumes having a jasmine odour. Moreover, there’s a hair strand in it. Look”.
She passed the kerchief to me. I held it with a pair of tweezers so as to not leave my fingerprints on it and contaminate the evidence. There was a long strand of hair, stuck in the kerchief. The kerchief had the letter N embossed on it.
I began, “Well, our visitor’s name starts with N. She’s a blonde or must have dyed her hair. She belongs to a proper financed family, and...
“And she has hurt her arm”, Anaysha said.
“What?” I could not help laughing. “How do you know she has broken or arm?” Is it written on the kerchief with some invisible ink which you’ve found out by holding it over a fire?
I looked at her. She was staring outside at the doorstep.
“No”, said Anaysha, “I know it because our visitor is at the door step and would soon ring the bell”.
The door bell rang. I opened the door only to find a fair skinned lady, probably in her early thirties. Her blonde dyed hair was tied up in a top knot. She had a small birthmark on her upper left arm, which was plastered. She smelt of jasmine.
Yes! She was the one who had come to visit Anaysha yesterday.
Anaysha offered her a seat and asked her to begin.
“Shelvankar madam, my name is Nivrita. Nivrita Chattaraj. It was 4 o’ clock in the morning when I found myself prostrate on a park ground, dress drenched with blood, and...
She swallowed a lump in her throat.
“And, I don’t remember anything about how and when I did end up there. I don’t even know whose blood it is. Please help me ma’am”.
Anaysha was about to open her mouth when the door opened and inspector Cornell pointed his six shot- revolver at our visitor and asked her to surrender.
“You’re under arrest Miss. Nivrita Chattaraj”. Cornell’s vociferousness gave me a shiver.
“What is it, inspector?” Anaysha asked.
“This woman has been charged with the murder of Mr. V.P. Arora, a business man. She’s been seen in the CCTV footage. His neighbour had seen him last at 9.30pm and the footage shows none had visited the business man’s flat after 9.30pm except the woman sitting there. She has to come with us”, Cornell said.
“I’ll see you in the lock up. I’ll take up your case Miss. Chattaraj”, Anaysha said to the handcuffed Nivrita.
“Doctor”, said Cornell to me, “You have orders to examine the body of Mr. Arora. Kindly come with me. Your team shall be present at the crime scene.”
“When will you stop entering my office in your manky sandals?” she said.
“Uh-Oh! Sorry! I was in a hurry. I couldn’t find you at the breakfast table. Anyway, here’s your coffee”, I said as I sat down facing her pensive visage.
“Tell me Ronit. What do you make of our visitor’s kerchief? Since we’ve been so infelicitous as to miss the person and have no notion of her errand, this accidental souvenir becomes of importance. Let me hear you reconstruct the person by an examination of this kerchief”, Anaysha said while she took a sip of her coffee.
“How do you know our visitor is a she?” I said.
“Well, I can get a smell of jasmine from this kerchief, and men don’t use perfumes having a jasmine odour. Moreover, there’s a hair strand in it. Look”.
She passed the kerchief to me. I held it with a pair of tweezers so as to not leave my fingerprints on it and contaminate the evidence. There was a long strand of hair, stuck in the kerchief. The kerchief had the letter N embossed on it.
I began, “Well, our visitor’s name starts with N. She’s a blonde or must have dyed her hair. She belongs to a proper financed family, and...
“And she has hurt her arm”, Anaysha said.
“What?” I could not help laughing. “How do you know she has broken or arm?” Is it written on the kerchief with some invisible ink which you’ve found out by holding it over a fire?
I looked at her. She was staring outside at the doorstep.
“No”, said Anaysha, “I know it because our visitor is at the door step and would soon ring the bell”.
The door bell rang. I opened the door only to find a fair skinned lady, probably in her early thirties. Her blonde dyed hair was tied up in a top knot. She had a small birthmark on her upper left arm, which was plastered. She smelt of jasmine.
Yes! She was the one who had come to visit Anaysha yesterday.
Anaysha offered her a seat and asked her to begin.
“Shelvankar madam, my name is Nivrita. Nivrita Chattaraj. It was 4 o’ clock in the morning when I found myself prostrate on a park ground, dress drenched with blood, and...
She swallowed a lump in her throat.
“And, I don’t remember anything about how and when I did end up there. I don’t even know whose blood it is. Please help me ma’am”.
Anaysha was about to open her mouth when the door opened and inspector Cornell pointed his six shot- revolver at our visitor and asked her to surrender.
“You’re under arrest Miss. Nivrita Chattaraj”. Cornell’s vociferousness gave me a shiver.
“What is it, inspector?” Anaysha asked.
“This woman has been charged with the murder of Mr. V.P. Arora, a business man. She’s been seen in the CCTV footage. His neighbour had seen him last at 9.30pm and the footage shows none had visited the business man’s flat after 9.30pm except the woman sitting there. She has to come with us”, Cornell said.
“I’ll see you in the lock up. I’ll take up your case Miss. Chattaraj”, Anaysha said to the handcuffed Nivrita.
“Doctor”, said Cornell to me, “You have orders to examine the body of Mr. Arora. Kindly come with me. Your team shall be present at the crime scene.”
19th July 2012
10.30a.m
10.30a.m
I hadn’t seen more atrocious a corpse than Mr. Arora’s. His hands were full of blood, scratches everywhere on the visible portion of his body, as if some feral beast had half eaten his body. His face had been badly damaged. It was possible to confirm his identity only by DNA fingerprinting. I collected all the fingerprints from the rooms and the blood and hair samples. Anaysha stared at the corpse with a stern look. We took photographs of the corpse and the room as well.
Anaysha’s pale face made me feel bitter. I wanted to take her out for a walk but she wanted to go to the police station.
“Ma’am, I swear I didn’t kill Mr. Arora. I don’t even know him. What can my motive of murder be? Please help me out Mrs. Shelvankar”, Nivrita said, sitting in the lock up.
“Let me get the date of the hearing of the court session. If you’re innocent, you won’t be punished. I give you my word”, Anaysha said.
Anaysha’s pale face made me feel bitter. I wanted to take her out for a walk but she wanted to go to the police station.
“Ma’am, I swear I didn’t kill Mr. Arora. I don’t even know him. What can my motive of murder be? Please help me out Mrs. Shelvankar”, Nivrita said, sitting in the lock up.
“Let me get the date of the hearing of the court session. If you’re innocent, you won’t be punished. I give you my word”, Anaysha said.
21st July 2012
Bombay Sessions Court
10.30 am
The day came when Nivrita was to be tried. I was confident about Anaysha’s victory as she had never lost a case in her career. I sat on the bench, behind Anaysha. Nivrita stood in the dock, wearing a green kurti and denim jeans.
The hearing began. The prosecutor, Mr. Yash Pandey, explained about the murder.
“Your honour”, the prosecution said, “Miss. Nivrita Chattaraj had gone to the apartment of Mr. V.P Arora at 9.36pm on July 18, 2012. Her DNA has been found there. I would like to call upon the forensic expert, Dr. Ronit Shelvankar, to tell us about the murder”.
“Permission granted”, Justice B. Vajpaye said.
I went up to the dock.
“So, Dr. Shelvankar”, Pandey said, “Please tell us about the autopsy report.”
“Your honour, we’ve found scratches on the body of the deceased. A piece of nail of Miss. Nivrita Chattaraj has also been found in the corpse’s flesh. Hair strands are also present in the room of Mr. Arora”, I said.
“Mrs. Shelvankar, your witness, please,” Justice Vajpaye said.
Anaysha stood up.
“Dr. Shelvankar, if I take a few strands of your hair and your broken nail, and place it in my office, does it mean you came into my office?”
“No”
“So, evidence can be created. Right?”
“Yes”
“No further questions your Honour”.
Anaysha stepped back.
“Mrs. Shelvankar, I think you’re forgetting that Miss. Nivrita Chattaraj has also been seen in the footage. That can’t be created, I suppose. The forensic department has confirmed that the footage is real; no tampering has been done with it. Let me play the footage if your Honour grants his permission.” the prosecution said.
“Permission granted”.
“See for yourself Mrs. Shelvankar. It’s your client. Miss Nivrita Chattaraj”, the prosecution said, playing the footage, “Your Honour, it’s an open and shut case. Miss. Chattaraj is a psychopath killer. And she broke her arm during the fight with Mr. Arora”.
“I object, your Honour! My client isn’t the murderer and I will prove it to you.”
Anaysha played the footage and paused it midway. She zoomed on the hand of the woman in the footage.
“Your Honour, my client has a birthmark on her upper left arm, whereas, the woman in this footage does not”, Anaysha showed the zoomed portion. “Your Honour, I’m sure someone else is the murderer. She was present in Bar Opera at the time of murder; we have the photographs. I plead the innocence of my client, Miss. Nivrita Chattaraj.
“Taking all evidences and witnesses into account, the court has found Miss. Nivrita Chattaraj innocent and acquits her from the charge of murder of Mr. V.P. Arora. The court orders the officer-in-charge to bring the real murderer to court as soon as possible. Case dismissed”, said Justice B. Vajpaye.
Nivrita smiled at Anaysha and shook hands with her. Anaysha kept staring at her fingers. She held her hand for more than four seconds.
“Thank you so much Shelvankar madam. I would like if you and Dr. Shelvankar come to my house for dinner tonight”, Nivrita said.
“Well, I’m sorry Nivrita. Dr. Shelvankar shall be on an important errand tonight. I’ll come”, Anaysha said, although I didn’t understand what important job I had.
Bombay Sessions Court
10.30 am
The day came when Nivrita was to be tried. I was confident about Anaysha’s victory as she had never lost a case in her career. I sat on the bench, behind Anaysha. Nivrita stood in the dock, wearing a green kurti and denim jeans.
The hearing began. The prosecutor, Mr. Yash Pandey, explained about the murder.
“Your honour”, the prosecution said, “Miss. Nivrita Chattaraj had gone to the apartment of Mr. V.P Arora at 9.36pm on July 18, 2012. Her DNA has been found there. I would like to call upon the forensic expert, Dr. Ronit Shelvankar, to tell us about the murder”.
“Permission granted”, Justice B. Vajpaye said.
I went up to the dock.
“So, Dr. Shelvankar”, Pandey said, “Please tell us about the autopsy report.”
“Your honour, we’ve found scratches on the body of the deceased. A piece of nail of Miss. Nivrita Chattaraj has also been found in the corpse’s flesh. Hair strands are also present in the room of Mr. Arora”, I said.
“Mrs. Shelvankar, your witness, please,” Justice Vajpaye said.
Anaysha stood up.
“Dr. Shelvankar, if I take a few strands of your hair and your broken nail, and place it in my office, does it mean you came into my office?”
“No”
“So, evidence can be created. Right?”
“Yes”
“No further questions your Honour”.
Anaysha stepped back.
“Mrs. Shelvankar, I think you’re forgetting that Miss. Nivrita Chattaraj has also been seen in the footage. That can’t be created, I suppose. The forensic department has confirmed that the footage is real; no tampering has been done with it. Let me play the footage if your Honour grants his permission.” the prosecution said.
“Permission granted”.
“See for yourself Mrs. Shelvankar. It’s your client. Miss Nivrita Chattaraj”, the prosecution said, playing the footage, “Your Honour, it’s an open and shut case. Miss. Chattaraj is a psychopath killer. And she broke her arm during the fight with Mr. Arora”.
“I object, your Honour! My client isn’t the murderer and I will prove it to you.”
Anaysha played the footage and paused it midway. She zoomed on the hand of the woman in the footage.
“Your Honour, my client has a birthmark on her upper left arm, whereas, the woman in this footage does not”, Anaysha showed the zoomed portion. “Your Honour, I’m sure someone else is the murderer. She was present in Bar Opera at the time of murder; we have the photographs. I plead the innocence of my client, Miss. Nivrita Chattaraj.
“Taking all evidences and witnesses into account, the court has found Miss. Nivrita Chattaraj innocent and acquits her from the charge of murder of Mr. V.P. Arora. The court orders the officer-in-charge to bring the real murderer to court as soon as possible. Case dismissed”, said Justice B. Vajpaye.
Nivrita smiled at Anaysha and shook hands with her. Anaysha kept staring at her fingers. She held her hand for more than four seconds.
“Thank you so much Shelvankar madam. I would like if you and Dr. Shelvankar come to my house for dinner tonight”, Nivrita said.
“Well, I’m sorry Nivrita. Dr. Shelvankar shall be on an important errand tonight. I’ll come”, Anaysha said, although I didn’t understand what important job I had.
21st July 2012
9pm
Nivrita’s place
9pm
Nivrita’s place
I didn’t have any idea that this case would take such a turn. I had developed a suspicion on Anaysha when she said I had some important job, when I didn’t really have one.
At 8pm, I saw Anaysha loading her revolver and taking it along with her to Nivrita’s place. She gave me a hug, but had no seriousness in it.
“I’ll be home in a couple of hours. You take care.”
I followed Anaysha secretly.
What I saw through the window, gave me the shock of my life.
Anaysha lay on the bed. Her face told me she was in a trance, but could hear and understand what Nivrita spoke.
“Anaysha Shelvankar! Tell me! How do you win your cases in such a short period of time? I’ve always been jealous of your intelligence. Do you know why I killed Arora? He was the strongest business tycoon I’ve ever seen in my life. I had to flee from there because his neighbour was knocking at the door. But, never mind. I have you now. How will your brain taste? Ahh! The pan is ready. Hiding birthmarks and creating images via Photoshop aren't a great deal these days, advocate Shelvankar ”.
Nivrita brought a surgery knife and approached Anaysha.
I ran towards the door and broke it open.
Another shock!
Anaysha held her revolver in her right hand near Nivrita’s head and held Nivrita’s hands in a twisted manner with her left hand.
Anaysha was surprised at my flabbergasting and unexpected visit.
She started speaking, without paying any heed to me.
“Miss. Nivrita Chattaraj, do you know when I started doubting your innocence? The moment you shook hands with me, I noticed your ring. Ronit? Remember we had found books on Cannibalism from her study? Nivrita, the ring you’re wearing is a symbol of Dragon Snake, the rings which the cannibals of the Solomon Islands and New Guinea wear. They believe, if you eat your opponent up, his strength gets transferred into your body. Miss. Nivrita, I found your airplane ticket and your passport as well. And, don’t even try to free yourself if you don’t want to break another bone. And let me tell you, your assistant couldn't inject the drug in my body; I guess the sofa is lying in a trance ”.
“Ronit, give Cornell a call. Ask him to come with a warrant. I’ll see you in court Miss. Chattaraj. Let me see how you can free youself from your prosecutor, Advocate Anaysha Shelvankar”.
Cornell arrived.
“Cornell! Make sure this lady gets to eat only veg in her cell. Handcuff her. Come Ronit, I’m starving”.
At 8pm, I saw Anaysha loading her revolver and taking it along with her to Nivrita’s place. She gave me a hug, but had no seriousness in it.
“I’ll be home in a couple of hours. You take care.”
I followed Anaysha secretly.
What I saw through the window, gave me the shock of my life.
Anaysha lay on the bed. Her face told me she was in a trance, but could hear and understand what Nivrita spoke.
“Anaysha Shelvankar! Tell me! How do you win your cases in such a short period of time? I’ve always been jealous of your intelligence. Do you know why I killed Arora? He was the strongest business tycoon I’ve ever seen in my life. I had to flee from there because his neighbour was knocking at the door. But, never mind. I have you now. How will your brain taste? Ahh! The pan is ready. Hiding birthmarks and creating images via Photoshop aren't a great deal these days, advocate Shelvankar ”.
Nivrita brought a surgery knife and approached Anaysha.
I ran towards the door and broke it open.
Another shock!
Anaysha held her revolver in her right hand near Nivrita’s head and held Nivrita’s hands in a twisted manner with her left hand.
Anaysha was surprised at my flabbergasting and unexpected visit.
She started speaking, without paying any heed to me.
“Miss. Nivrita Chattaraj, do you know when I started doubting your innocence? The moment you shook hands with me, I noticed your ring. Ronit? Remember we had found books on Cannibalism from her study? Nivrita, the ring you’re wearing is a symbol of Dragon Snake, the rings which the cannibals of the Solomon Islands and New Guinea wear. They believe, if you eat your opponent up, his strength gets transferred into your body. Miss. Nivrita, I found your airplane ticket and your passport as well. And, don’t even try to free yourself if you don’t want to break another bone. And let me tell you, your assistant couldn't inject the drug in my body; I guess the sofa is lying in a trance ”.
“Ronit, give Cornell a call. Ask him to come with a warrant. I’ll see you in court Miss. Chattaraj. Let me see how you can free youself from your prosecutor, Advocate Anaysha Shelvankar”.
Cornell arrived.
“Cornell! Make sure this lady gets to eat only veg in her cell. Handcuff her. Come Ronit, I’m starving”.
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