" kya hum andar aa sakte hain? " ajit ne haweli mein kadam rakha aur sabhi ki taraf dekha. Har shaks uski jaan pehchan ka tha sivai ek shaks ke. " kya hum kuch galat waqt par to nahi aye "
" daroga aap subah-subah haweli kaise " bablu kaka uski taraf ghumte hue bole.
" jahan juram wahan police suna to hoga apne? "
" jurm? kaisa jurm? haweli mein kis jurm ki baat kar rahe hain aap? "
" humne to nahi kaha ki jurm haweli mein hua hai? " ajit ki baat par bablu kaka shant ho gaye. " hum to yahan kuch sawal karne aye the bas "
" kaise sawal ? "
" apse nahi thakurain se sawal hai hamare " ajit malini ki taraf dekhne laga. Malini abhi tak shant khadi thi, man mein dhero sawal liye.
" humse kis tarah ke sawal? " malini ne chehre par chai sabhi ghambhirta ko hatate hue pucha. " agar aap abki baar bhi unhi khoon ke bare mein puchne aye hain to koi faiyda nahi hum pehle hi apko bata chuke hain ki "
" nahi, uspar abhi tehkikat chal hi rahi hai. Jald hi uska sabut bhi hume mil jayega filal hum kisi dusre kaam se aye hain "
" jaise ki? " ajit ek pal malini ko ghurta raha. Uske chehre par muskan thi lekin malini ke nahi, vo jitna chuapye utna uska asar chehre par padhta jaa raha tha.
" kal raat aap kahan thi? " malini ko jaisa shaq tha, ajit ne wahi sawal kiya.
" daroga aap jante hain ki kisse sawal kar rahe hain " bablu kaka bich mein bol uthe.
" kanun ke liye har insan ek jaisa hai bhale hi vo haweli ki thakurain kyun na ho "
" daroga "
" kaka " malini ne bablu kaka ko wahin rok diya. Vo mahol ko jada kharab karke baat nahi badana chahti thi. " inhe sawal karne dijeye " malini kuch kadam aage ayi vo sirf yahi chahti thi ki ajit ka dhayan us admi par kam rahe. " kal raat hum roz ki tarah haweli mein hi the "
" kya aap yakeen se keh sakti hai? kyun ki agar apne humse jhooth kaha to "
" hum kahan rehte hain uspar yakeen se kehne ki jarurat nahi hai. Kal raat hum haweli mein the yahi sach hai " malini ne uski ankhon mein dekhte hue jawab diya.
" theek hai maan lete hain par kya kisi ne apko haweli mein dekha hai? kehne ka matlab maan lijeye ki agar kisi ne apko haweli se bahar dekha ho aur aap sach keh rahi ho to yakeen kaise dilayegi? " ajit ne sawal ko ghuma kar pucha. Malini ek pal shant khadi rahi.
" humne dekha hai inhe haweli mein " us admi ne jawab diya aur ajit ki nazar malini se hath kar uspar chali gayi.
" apka parichye? "
" vo apka sawal nahi hai inspector, sawal ye hai ki humne thakurain ko haweli mein dekha hai kyun ki kal raat inhone hi hamari madad ki thi "
" madad ? "
" han, kal hamari gaddi ki headlight tut gayi thi jiski wajah se kohre mein dekh pana mushkil ho gaya tha isliye inhone hume apni haweli mein panha di " jaisa malini ne kuch der pehle bablu kaka ko bataya tha theek wahi us admi ne inspector se kaha. Ajit wahin khada raha us admi ko dekhta raha.
" tumhara naam? " ajit ne pucha.
" apko jo janna tha vo apne jaan liya lekin aap hume ye bata sakte hain ki aap subah hamari haweli par is tarah ke sawal humse kyun kar rahe hain ? " malini nahi chahti thi ki ajit us admi se itne sawal kare. Ajit ne apna dhayan usi par banaye rakha par malini ke sawal par use jawab dena pada.
" Rajendra ko janti hai aap? "
" kaun? " malini ka dil zoron se dhadak utha.
" rajendra jo haweli ke liye kaam karta tha "
" haweli ke liye bahut log kaam karte hain daroga ji sabke naam hume kaise yaad rakh payenge lekin aap uske bare mein kyun puch rahe hain "
" uski biwi ne shikayat darz karai hai ki uska pati kal raat se gayab hai aur ghar nahi lauta hai "
" chinta wali baat hai lekin isme hum apki kya madad kar sakte hain "
" uski biwi ne bataya ki vo apke liye pichle kuch samay se kaam kar raha hai aur aap keh rahi hain ki aap use nahi pehchanti "
" kara hoga, hum aksar haweli ke kaamo mein logon ko shamil kiya karte hain " usne ajit ko jawab diya " kaka aap pata kijeye ki rajendra ki biwi kahan rehti hai aur fir hume bataiye "
" ji thakurain "
Ajit malini ke bartav ko gaur se dekh raha tha " hume umeed hai ki aap sahi keh rahi hogi? "
" beshak " malini chota sa jawab dete hue chup ho gayi. Uske man mein bahut se sawal ghum rahe the lekin vo abhi bas ajit se picha chhudwana chahti thi.
" apki gaddi kal kahan thi? "
" jahan honi chahie, haweli mein hi " malini jawab dete hue is baar thoda atak gayi. Use umeed nahi thi ki vo gaddi ke bare mein kuch kahega.
" kya apko pakka yakeen hai? "
" ap aise keh rahe hain jaise apne hamari gaddi kahin aur dekhi ho "
" kash dekh pata lekin andhere mein kuch dikha hi nahi "
" hum apki baat nahi samjhe "
" hamara ghar mandir ke raste se hokar padta hai aur kal raat jab ab hum apne ghar jaa rahe the to mandir se kisi ki cheekh suni. Itni raat ko mandir mein kaun ho sakta hai vo bhi gaon ke sabse prachalit shrapit mandir jahan din mein koi nahi ata to humne socha dekh lein aur tab hume wahan kisi ki ahat hui koi tha jo wahan se bhag raha tha, humne pucha bhi ki kaun hai aur us disha mein gaye bhi lekin tab tak vo wahan se nikal chuka tha. Uske pas koi gaddi thi paiyun ke nishan dekh kar to yahi samajh ata hai isliye socha puch lun apse bhi " ajit baat sunte hi malini ko samajh aa gaya ki kal raat vo awaz kiski thi. Yani agar kal vo wahan dikh jati to aaj vo haweli mein nahi balki jail ki salakhon mein hoti kyun ki uske wahan hone par sawal hote aur sawalon ke piche jawab chupe hote jo mandir mein the.
" hamari gadi haweli mein hi thi lekin kuch kharabi aa gayi thi isliye theek hone ke liye di thi "
" kahan par "
" seher se bahar nadi ke kinare jo garage bana hai wahin, kahiye to apko unka naam aur number bhi de dein? " malini ne is baar jawab dene mein koi galti nahi ki.
" achi baat hai, hume kuch aur puchna hoga to jarur puchne ayenge apse. Filal aap apni bajuon par lagi chot mein kuch laga lijeye " ajit ki baat sunte hi malini ki ankhein khuli reh gayi. Usne apni nazre nahi jhukai aur na hi apni bajuon ki taraf dekha.
" ji shukriya "
" aur han aap, aapki light sach mein kharab hui thi ya phir kisi ne usko tod diya tha? " ajit ka sawal is baar malini ke piche khade admi se tha.
" ji.. ? " vo hairani mein khada tha.
" nahi vo wahan kanch pade the apki gadi ke pas to socha puch lun ki kharab kaise hui? "
" vo...vo tut gayi thi raste mein socha tha andhere se pehle theek karwa lunga lekin kara nahi paya aur kal raat jab kuch nahi dikha to khud hi dekhne laga usme kuch kanch ke tukde wahin gir gaye honge " us admi ke bolte hi malini ko dhayan aya ki vo kal is baat ka khayal nahi rakh payi jab usne kanch toda to tukde wahin reh gaye the.
" hmm ho sakta hai aur ye bhi ho sakta hai ki kisi ne use jaan kar toda ho " ajit jawab dete hue malini ko dekhne laga. " acha to hum chalte hain koi aur sawal honge to apse fir mulakat hogi " ek dafa ajit ne haweli ke har shaks ko dekha aur wahan se nikal gaya.
Ajit ke jane ke baad vo admi bhi wahan se chala gaya, bablu kaka bhi wahan khade na rahe aur chale gaye. Manju jo itni der se kaam ko roke hue the vo bhi kaam niptane mein lag gaye. Malini ek pal wahin khadi rahi aur phir apne kamre mein chali gayi. Kamre mein jatte hi usne apni bajuon ko dekha jahan par lambe lambe nishan bane hue the jispar khoon jama hua tha. Koi bhi dekh kar bata sakta tha ki kisi patli chiz ki ghisad se ye jhakam hua hai par malini ko malum tha ki ye jhakam kal raat mandir ane aur jane mein jis jhadiyun se hokar vo guzari thi unhi ki wajah se ye nishan mile the. Uski nazar nahi gayi thi lekin ajit ne dekh liya tha. Uska shaq ab hum par aur bhi jada gehra hota jaa raha hai, use shayad malum ho chala hai ki kal hum hi the mandir mein isliye ab vo hum par aur kadi nazar rakhega tabhi vo haweli aya tha humse puch tach karne. Par rajendra ki biwi ne shikhayat darz ki ye baat hume thodi khatak rahi hai. Jarur iske piche us ek insan ka hath hai jisne uski madad ki hogi, vikrant, hume jo bhi karna hoga behad dhyan se karna hoga, ek galat kadam shaq ki sabhi suiyun ko hamari taraf modh dega. Malini sochte hue bathroom mein chali gayi.
Malini janti thi ki aisi anhoni hone ke purre asar hai isliye usne faisla kar liya tha ki agar aisa hua to kaise bachna hai. Vo ye baat kisi ko bhi pata nahi chalne de sakti thi isliye vo kal haweli ane tak yahi soch rahi thi ki kaise is baat ko sabse chupaya ja sake, manju se bhi lekin jab Bablu kaka ke ane ki khabar mili to usko ek rasta dikh gaya. Usne soch liya tha ki vo manju ko bablu kaka ke sath rehne ka bol degi taki raat ko jo ho uske bare mein un dono ko kuch pata na chale. Iske baad use ek aise sabut ki jarurat thi jo haweli se na juda ho aur uske liye gawahi de sake ki vo raat bhar uske sath hi thi. Isliye usne har-bar ki tarah ek admi bulaya jo aya to uske sharir ko thanda karne tha lekin is baar malini ka irada kuch aur tha. Isi liye usne use nashe ki dawa di aur uske lund ko itni baar hila kar uska ras nikala aur apne kapde uske kapdon ke sath bikhair diye aur khud uske bagal mein akar lait gayi taki jab vo admi subah uthe to use kuch yaad na rahe lekin apne aas-pass ke banaye gaye vatavaran se use wahi lage jo vo karne aya tha uppar se lund mein dard hone par use yakeen ho gaya ki usne kiya bhi wahi hai. Raat ko haweli atte waqt gaddi ki light todne ke piche ka maskad uske hone ka vajud batana tha taki na bablu kaka ko shaq ho na hi manju ko.
Humne sab kuch sirf isliye kiya taki agar hume mandir mein kisi ne pehchan liya to use bacha ja sake aur sab kuch bilkul wesa hi hota lekin ek anhoni ne sab badal diya. Rajendra ko marne wala insan hamari har soch ko maat de gaya, agar humne ye sab na socha hota to subah ajit ko hum par vishwas dilana namumkin ho jata. Nahate hue malini apni soch mein dubi hui thi. Uske chehre ki chinta ye bata rahi thi ki kuch aur hai jisko lekar vo behad ghabrai hui hai jise usne abhi kahani mein chupaya hua hai. Kuch aisa jo uske sath kal raat hua par usne apni soch mein chupa rakha tha. Badan pochte hue uski nazar kal raat walle kapdon par padi jise usne ragad ragad kar dhoya tha jise yaad karte hue use kal raat ki ghatna yaad ayi jab vo mandir ke kamre par tala laga kar aage badhi hi thi aur uska paun kisi chiz par pada tha.
Andhere mein use dikha nahi lekin jaise hi usne use uthaya to uske mathe par bal padh gaya. Uske hath mein chaku tha jispar khoon laga hua tha aur vo khoon kisi aur ka nahi balki rajendra ka tha ye use samjhte hue der nahi lagi. Rajendra ki lash dekhne ke baad uske man mein sabse pehli baat yahi ayi thi ki kya marne wale ne kuch chhoda hai? Par ab jab chaku uske hath mein tha tab na to vo usko wahan chhod nahi sakti thi aur na hi apne sath le jaa sakti thi lekin halat ke aage majbur hokar vo chaku ko lekar mandir ke usi raste se utri jis taraf se vo ayi thi. Sochte hue malini ne badan par towel lapetta aur bahar nikal gayi.
