AN: This story is on the occasion of Aditya Sir's Birthday. So a very Happy birthday to him!

I have basically written down the Case of the Stolen Dynamite...with a few parts showing Abhijeet's point of view in it. Daya does not have a main role here. The main characters are ACP Pradyuman and Abhijeet.

Italics - hindi language

(Brackets) - meaning of hindi word in english

CID – Abhijeet (The Case of the Stolen Dynamite)

It had been two years – two years since that fatal incident in which he had lost his memory. His mind had been empty, his memory – a blank sheet. He had pulled out old albums and phone directories; meeting each and every person he might have known, trying to recollect at least a small part of his past.

But, when even after talking to his old school and college friends there had been no progress, he had given up. Then he had begun going to the same old highway where he had been found, in the hope that seeing the place might trigger some memory. Here too he had no luck.

After months, he had given up. His life had become monotonous. He would get up, read the newspaper, eat breakfast, and then go for a walk. Somehow he would always end up reaching the highway and spend hours there, looking at nothing in particular. If he would remember, then he would return for lunch, else it would be in the late hours of the evening that he returned home for dinner.

On Sundays, the woman who called herself his mother, would call him and would talk to him, tell him of all the goings-on in the village. She would talk and he would quietly listen not speaking anything other than 'hello' and 'bye'.

A year and half later, when she passed away, he felt an odd kind of grief and at the same time, relief. He went for her funeral, of course. It was customary for the son to light his parent's pyre. After her death he once again returned back to his daily routine.

He had been standing on the same highway when he heard the sound of a car engine. But even after the tires of the cars screeched, as it stopped a few feet behind him, he did not turn around to acknowledge his visitor. Three detectives got out of the car.

ACP Pradyuman and Inspector Daya (now promoted from Sub-Inspector to Inspector) came to stand on either side of him.

"Abhijeet?" ACP Pradyuman called him, "Abhijeet!" He reluctantly tore his gaze away from the empty street and turned to look at him.

"Pehechan te ho?" ACP Pradyuman asked him.

He nearly snorted, how could he forget? This was the man who had told him countless times about what a brilliant detective he was. Of the medals and awards he had won. But what use was it? He remembered nothing.

"ACP, ACP Pradyuman," he gestured at the man standing on his other side, "aur ye Inspector Daya."

"Hello, sir," greeted Daya.

"Tum yaha kya kar rahe ho?" Pradyuman questioned him, "Tumhe toh ghar me hona chahiye. Chalo," he patted Abhijeet's shoulder, "Chalo aao mere saath."

They started to move back to the car when he spoke, "Yahi par, yahi par chhoda tha unhone mujhe do saal pehle," at his words, they stopped, "Meri zindagi chheen li unhone! Kaise? Kaise pata chalega mujhe, ki woh log kaun the?"

"Mai samajh sakta hoon tum par kya guzar rahi hai," began ACP Pradyuman.

Abhijeet nearly shouted, he wanted to vehemently refute that statement. Because, it was wrong. The ACP had no idea what he was going through, because he had never been in such a position before. But he kept quiet, out respect for him and because he knew that he was only trying to help.

ACP Pradyuman continued, "Magar tumhe himmat karni padegi! Zindagi me aage badhna hoga!"

He shook his head in frustration, "Magar kaise? Zindagi me toh tabh aage badha jaa ta hai, jab maalum ho ki mai aaya kaha se hoon. Mujhe toh ye bhi pata nahi mai hoon kaun!"

"Agar tum isi tarah apni beeti zindagi ko dhoond te rahoge, toh phir baaki zindagi ka kya hoga?"

He took a deep breath, "Teen mahine (months) pehle, woh budhi (old) aurat jo apne aap ko meri maa keh ti thi, woh mar gayi. Woh is gum me mar gayi, ki uska apna beta, uska Abhijeet use pehechan ta nahi tha,"

A tear threatened to fall, but before it did, he reined it in. "Is me mera kya kasoor (fault)? Is liye, mai jaag ta rehta hoon raat-raat bhar, soch ta rehta hoon, ki shaayad – shaayad mujhe kuch yaad aa jaye. Kuch bhi!"

He shook his head, "Lekin kuch yaad nahi aa ta." He bowed his head for a moment before looking up to see ACP Pradyuman walk up to him, though he was not looking at him.

The ACP's face was closed, not a single emotion on his face and nor in his voice when he spoke, "Aur aise yaad ayega bhi nahi," he turned to face Abhijeet once more, "Dekho Abhijeet, tum ek kaam karo, tum humare office aana shuru karo. Humare saath raho. Tumhara dhyan bhi bata rahega."

ACP Pradyuman's words did not fool him. He knew that the ACP wanted his best officer back, but how could he tell him that he was no longer the bright man ACP thought him to be. He might have been a brilliant detective before his memory loss, but now he would only be an interference in their work. And every time the ACP asked him this question in the last year, he had refused.

"Nahi sir," once again a denial slipped from his lips, "mai aap logo ka time waste nahi karna chaahta."

He expected Pradyuman to accept his no and leave, just like he had before. But this time his answer was different. This time ACP Pradyuman was not requesting him to join CID once again,

"Mai ye nahi keh ta ki, tum phir se CID join karo, nahi. Humare saath raho, ho sakta hai purane kaam pe laut ne se, shaayad tumhe kuch yaad aa jaye."

He gave a small smile to himself, no matter how ACP disguised it; he wanted Abhijeet back in the CID Bureau. Even if it was just for visiting. He had a feeling that ACP Pradyuman and he had had a good relation two years ago – one that was still strong. He might not remember it, but he certainly could feel it.

Perhaps it was the way in which he poured out his troubles to him, when he would usually remain tight lipped about himself; or perhaps it was in the ACP's mannerisms, how he would always pat him affectionately on his back at times.

Before he could answer, a beeping sound from the car alerted them about an important wireless message.

Daya moved to the car to receive the message. A voice spoke, "Hello. Control Room. Alert! Mashiwara area ke sabhi patrol vans, fauran 15th road, Kolkwaari pahunche. Waha ke stone quarry se 30kg dynamite chori hua hai. Over."

Daya took off the headphones he had worn to listen to the message and walked back towards them.

"Haan Daya," said ACP Pradyuman, "kya message hai?"

Abhijeet wondered how he got roped into this. As soon as Daya relayed the message, ACP Pradyuman immediately ordered him to drive them to the stone quarry at Mashiwara. He had barely given his consent to go with them that he had been dragged along. However he had to admit, that after two years of living a quiet life, this small bit of excitement had adrenaline pumping through his veins, making him feel alive once more.

When they arrived at the stone quarry, a worker informed them of the theft, "Mai yaha roz ki tarah sade-chhe (6:30) baje pahuncha, store room mein supply check kiya, toh pata chala 30kg dynamite chori ho gaya hai!"

"Dynamite ka stock is se pehle kabh check kiya tha?" Pradyuman questioned him.

"Kal raat ko, sade-nau (9:30) baje, sir. Har roz ki tarah, kaam khatam karne ke baad. Yaha pe ek security guard bhi hota hai sir. Woh yaha har aane-jaane wala ka record rakh ta hai sir. Mai ne register bhi check kiya sir," he opened the register he had in his hands to show them, "raat mein ek aadmi aaya tha! Ye – Mr Kaushik."

The man standing beside him, Mr Kaushik, himself spoke up, "Aur sir, mai kabh se keh raha hoon, mai yaha nahi aaya tha! Kya kaam hai mujhe yaha? Kal raat gyarah baje mai apne ghar pe soya hua tha sir!"

Abhijeet watched the man carefully; he looked harassed – as any normal citizen would look if they were accused of a crime. But he could be guilty and to escape his punishment, he could be lying. However, a hunch told him that he was speaking the truth. That meant that the person who came to the quarry last night was someone else – someone who stole Mr Kaushik's identity to commit this theft.

The worker shook his head and told the ACP, "Sir, raat ka watchman aa ta hi hoga. Woh hi aap ko batayega."

He peered over ACP Pradyuman's shoulder for a moment and exclaimed, "Ye dekhiye! Ye aa gaya."

True enough, a man in watchman's uniform had arrived. He looked as if he had very little sleep, and he did if was awake all night.

"Kya hua sahab?" the watchman asked them.

Pradyuman asked him, "Kal raat Kaushik sahab yaha aaye the? Tum ne register me inka naam likha hai." He pointed towards Kaushik.

The watchman nodded, "Haan sahab, koi Kaushik sahab aaye the zaroor. Par," he looked at the man ACP Pradyuman pointed at, "ye woh nahi hai."

"Kya matlab?"

"Sahab, woh koi aur hi tha." He tried to explain, " Mai yaha naya hoon sahab, har officer ko shakal se nahi pehechan ta. Par kal jo aadmi aya tha unhone apna naam Kaushik hi bataya tha. Apna pass-card bhi dikha ya tha. Bole – maal ki kuch checking karni hai. Unke pass ek suitcase bhi tha. Mai ne unke liye store ka darwaja khol diya aur register mein entry bhi kar diya."

The worker nodded, "Haan, sir. Humare yaha jo pass-card hota hai, us mein photo bhi hota hai aur saath mein identity number bhi hota hai. Usi se hum unhe khaas jagah pe aane-jaane dete hai."

The CID officers realised that it was someone else who made a fake pass-card with Mr Kaushik's name on it.

On asking for a description, the watchman told them that the man had medium height, looked to be in his late 40s, was thin and had worn glasses with bifocal lens. He had worn a pair of grey trousers and a light blue-coloured shirt.

On hearing this, Mr Kaushik spoke up, "Sir! Ye huliya Rishi jaisa hai sir, bilkul Rishi jaisa hai."

'Rishi?' thought Abhijeet. Now where did this Rishi come from?

Kaushik told them that Rishi stays close to his house, in a nearby lodge. And the only information he knows about him is that Rishi had come from Nagpur in search of work. He had met him mostly at the tea stall, and that was how he knew him.

"Kal raat woh mere ghar aaya tha sir," Kaushik told them.

"Kyu?" asked ACP Pradyuman.

Kaushik sheepishly replied that he had come to drink alcohol with him. "Sirf thodi si, sir."

Abhijeet shook his head in exasperation, there was no such thing as 'little' alcohol.

"Achha," Pradyuman asked him, "kya tum ne kabhi bataya tha ki tum ek stone quarry mein kaam karte ho aur yaha pe dynamite hai?"

"Shaayad kaha hoga sir," he replied uncertainly.

It was to the lodge where Rishi stayed, that they went next. The lodge owner told them that Rishi was a total gentle-man. He had arrived from Nagpur a few days ago and was staying here since then.

"Tumne unka Nagpur ka address likha hai?" ACP asked the lodge owner.

"Yahi galti ho gayi sir," the lodge owner lamented. "unhone likha nahi, aur mai ne check kiya nahi."

"Achha, kal raat ko woh kahi bahar gaya tha?"

"Haan sahab, raat ko sade-baara baje ke baad aaye. Tab se mai unse mila nahi hoon, sir."

They reached his room, and the lodge owner opened it with a duplicate key.

As ACP Pradyuman and Daya began searching Rishi's room for clues, Abhijeet realised that he looked foolish standing at the entrance doing nothing. He too moved in and began looking around for something that could help them.

He looked inside the cupboard, but it was nearly bare. As he was about to close it, a dustbin caught his eye. It was placed under a study desk and seemed to have torn bits of paper inside it.

As he bent down to retrieve it, ACP sir pulled out a tray with bottles of different chemicals, wires and other odd equipment, from under the bed. A plastic bag was also found, which had gun powder in it.

While ACP Pradyuman and Daya were going through those things, Abhijeet had upturned the bin and separated the paper pieces from some wires. He assembled the pieces like a jigsaw puzzle to form a picture of a bomb. It showed the different parts needed to make it and the process to make it.

Abhijeet put a hand over his mouth, well, it seemed as if things were about to get hot.

"Sir," he called for ACP Pradyuman, and the honorific seemed familiar on his tongue. He pointed at the items his colleagues were examining, "woh bomb bana ne ka saman hai."

They looked at him and he showed them the pieces of paper he had found. "Ye dekhiye sir, ye diagram."

He pointed to various parts and explained what they were, "Ye dynamite hai, aur us ke beech mein chemical (acid) ka tube. Aur ye ek stop-watch hai. Jaise hi stop-watch trigger ho jayega, ye chemical ka reaction ho jayega. Ye chemical jaise hi dynamite pe padegi, bomb blast ho jayega."

As he finished, ACP Pradyuman was looking at him with pride. He had proved him correct after all – Abhijeet still had a sharp mind and brilliant deduction skills.

ACP turned to Daya, "Daya, koi aam aadmi ye nahi bana sakta. Is aadmi ka sambandh zaroor ek chemical industry se hai."

Just then Inspector Jayant came into the room informing them that a waiter had just seen Rishi and that he had a big suitcase with him.

"Achha," ACP Pradyuman realised, "iska matlab usne bomb suitcase me hi banaya hai." He ordered Daya, "Daya, jaldi jaa ke dekho woh kis taraf gaya, kaise gaya. Aur bahar poocho – shaayad kisi ne use dekha ho. Okay? "

"Okay, sir," replied Daya as he rushed out.

ACP Pradyuman turned to Jayant, "Jaao, jaa ke Kaushik aur us lodge owner ko bulaao aur unse kaho Rishi ka identity kit tayiyar kare."

"Abhijeet," he turned to him next, and even though he did not work under him an automatic, "Yes sir," fell from his lips.

ACP Pradyuman paused for a second, realising that for a moment he thought that Abhijeet was one of his officers, but shaking that thought away, he patted Abhijeet's shoulder to show his appreciation for helping them in the case, "Tum mere saath aao,"

...

The lodge owner and Kaushik sat with Inspector Jayant and helped to make Rishi's profile. The final picture was taken and distributed in all police offices to help locate the man.

A couple of hours later they received information from two constables that the man had been spotted, though without the brief case. This meant that the bomb was now planted. And they did not know where. The only one who knew was Rishi.

The problem was that even after having him in their custody, he refused to give up the location of the bomb. When all the officers had tried to get the information out of him by force and failed, ACP Pradyuman turned towards Abhijeet, momentarily forgetting once again that he was no longer a part of CID.

But it did not mean that Abhijeet could not help. And in fact, Abhijeet did have a plan. They had estimated an area he might have placed the bomb in with the help of the bus ticket they found in his wallet. Now they only had to find the specific location.

Rishi had clearly told them that he would not be giving up the location of the bomb. However he had accidently given up that time when the blast would occur.

"Theek sava-do (2:15) baje jab woh bomb blast hoga tab aap ko pata chal jayega. Uske pehle mai kuch nahi bataunga, kuch bhi nahi!"

Abhijeet told them to lock him in a separate room with a T.V. and a clock – a clock which was an hour fast! When the clock would strike 2:15 pm, they would switch on the T.V where according to planning, news about a bomb blast would be showing. Rishi would assume that the bomb had killed those it had to and would gleefully tell them of the location.

The other CID officers looked at him with amazement, while ACP Pradyuman simply gave him a smile. Abhijeet shook his head, he had told the ACP countless times that he would not involve himself with CID as he would be of no help even though Pradyuman did not think so; but in the end it seemed ACP had won.

ACP Pradyuman, Abhijeet and two bomb squad officers moved out in a police jeep towards Kandiwali and Malad area, which was the place where the bomb might be.

According to plan, when Rishi saw the false news of a bomb blast on the T.V they had set up, thinking that his bomb exploded he told them.

He told them that he had worked for 20 years at Vallam Seth's factory. But upon his death, when his son, Milind Kumar, took over the factory, his faithful and hard work went unrewarded and he was kicked out of the job along with all the old workers.

He set up a bomb in Milind's new factory, to kill him and the new workers, in revenge. However just before he could tell them of the location of the factory, Rishi realised that he was tricked and refused to reveal more.

Daya and Jayant however found out that the inauguration of Milind's factory was scheduled for today and found its address and name in a newspaper.

Daya quickly phoned his senior, "Sir, factory ka naam hai 'Excel Chemical and Dye Industries' aur address 'Prateek Industrial Estate, R.K. Road, Kandiwali'."

...

With this information, ACP Pradyuman, Abhijeet and the bomb squad officers reached the factory minutes before the bomb would explode.

After evacuating the place, when they found the bomb, the Bomb squad officers informed them that it was too late and they too must leave before the bomb explodes.

Abhijeet refused and ran back to the bomb with ACP Pradyuman right behind him. He pointed at the acid tube.

"Agar acid dynamite pe na gire toh bomb blast nahi hoga, sir!"

At that realisation, Abhijeet plunged his hand in and pulled the tube out, disregarding ACP's warning.

The force made the acid spill out and it fell on his shoulder. Abhijeet cried out in pain and his vision blurred with tears. He could make out a voice calling his name, "Abhijeet? Abhijeet!"

His shoulder burned, his vision swam, but he made an attempt to answer.

"Mai ne acid ko nikal diya," Abhijeet reassured him, "mai ne bomb ko phat ne se rok diya."

"Idiot," said ACP Pradyuman, "Tumne apne aap ko jala diya! Agar tumhari jaan chali jaa ti toh?"

"Aur koi raasta nahi tha, sir, bomb ko phat ne nahi dena chahiye tha," he protested.

ACP knew there was no convincing him, and how could he reprimand him, when he himself would have done the same?

"Abhijeet," he said, "tum ek bahadur sipahi (soldier) ho. Yes! Mai chaahta hoon ki, tum humara department phir se join kar lo."

And they were back to that.

"Nahi sir, mai kaise kar sakta hoon? Jis aadmi ko ye nahi pata hai ki woh hai kaun… mujhe kuch yaad nahi, sir! Mujhe toh ye bhi nahi maalum ki police me reh ke kya karte hein!" he tried to explain.

But this time ACP Pradyuman would not have it, "Ye case tum ne solve kiya hai! Dekho Abhijeet, ek police officer mein himmat aur dimaag – dono hone chahiye. Aur ye dono hi tum mein hai! I'm proud of you, my boy!"

He held out his hand, and Abhijeet finally deciding to give it a try, clasped his hand.

They were in the Bureau and ACP Pradyuman handed him an envelope, "Abhijeet, ab tum officially mere unit ka hissa ban gaye ho. Congratulations!"

"Thank you, sir," said Abhijeet in gratitude. "Waise aap ek baar soch lijiye, aap mujhe wapas rakh ke galati (mistake) toh nahi kar rahe hai."

"Nahi," came back a firm reply, "ye paani mein teher ne ki tarah hai,"

"Teher (swim) ne ki tarah?"

"Hmm, ek baar aadmi paani me teher na seekh ta hai, toh woh kabhi nahi bhoolta. Bees saal baad use paani mein phek do, tabh bhi woh kinare pe lag jaa ta hai. Waise hi aadmi jab ek baar police officer banta hai, humesha ke liye bana rehta hai. Apna kaam kabhi nahi bhoolta, cha he kuch bhi ho."

And looking back, ACP Pradyuman never felt it to be a mistake to get Abhijeet back in his team.

And Abhijeet never regretted his decision in re-joining the team.

AN : I know it there are very few parts that i have written. But please leave a review :)