Free Seduced by Murder by Saurbh Katyal Page B

“Inheritance? The old man had already declared that Anil would not get a penny when he found out about me. Anil was on a weekly allowance.” He looked at Vimal and continued, “And with the financial mess these guys are in, they will be lucky if they can avoid bankruptcy. Their debts for their dream mall project run into hundreds of crores. Anil always said that the project would ruin them. He hated his family. And they hated him. He had to leave.”
    I had read about the mall that Kapoor Developers were building in the central business district. Land acquisition had been a tedious process, and the media had had a field day writing about the malpractices the Kapoors had resorted to, to get their hands on the property. The property itself was at a prime location, at the junction of two main shopping streets. I had passed the site many times, and it was hard to miss the barricade with
Kapoor Developers
emblazoned on it.
    I turned to Vimal. “I am confused. Is five crores a big amount for someone like Anil?”
    “What kind of question is that?”
    “An important one. Is there any truth in what Leo is saying?”
    Vimal replied reluctantly, “Yes. We are coming out with a flagship mall project in the city. When the market tanked, our bank loan was cancelled, just like with every other developer in the city. The land is on lease from the government, and we have to complete the project within a certain period, for acquisition. We had borrowed money from the market at a high interest. So yes, liquidity was tight. From that perspective, at this time, five crores would be a big amount for Anil … and us too.”
    “What’s all this about Anil getting a weekly allowance? What does that mean?”
    “That is not concerned with the case, and I request you not to go there.”
    Leo sprang to my defence. “It is true! He was never involved in their work. He was even disallowed the measly financial support when the old man found out about the locket he gifted me – paid for with the company’s finances.”
    Vimal moved threateningly towards Leo, but Babu intervened.
    Vimal restrained himself, but said disgustedly, “You must have stolen it all. Anil would not have that kind of money. He was always short of cash.”
    I faced Leo. “Anil called you last Saturday. That was the night he was murdered. What did he tell you?”
    “What I just told you – to book tickets for a week later, and wait till we got the subsequent payment.”
    “You look like a curious guy to me. I am sure you would have insisted on knowing what was happening.”
    He took another drag, and averted his eyes. “I don’t know. I swear.”
    I decided he was lying. Whenever a person ends a sentence with ’I swear’, rest assured he or she is lying.
    “Liar Liar, pants on fire,” I pulled the cigarette from his lips, and extinguished it on his thigh, burning a small hole through his trousers. He yelped more with shock than with pain.
    He raised his hands in a placatory gesture and said, “I really don’t know! Maybe he sold another one of his father’s leased buildings. He had attempted forgery once.”
    “Forgery?” I asked
    “Ask him.” Leo looked at Vimal again.
    I looked at Vimal too and he answered, “Anil had some bad habits. He had forged Dad’s signature twice to sell some space in one of our buildings to an investor. He was caught both times.”
    “Aha,” I nodded, understanding.
    Babu frowned. “You are onto something. Tell me what it is.”
    “Nothing. I swear.”
    I asked Leo, “So Saturday was the last time you spoke to Anil?”
    He grinned slyly, now that a few things were dawning on him. “You yourself said that I am not the murderer. The flat is in Anil’s name. I am sure that the Kapoors would want to keep the cash. I will get nothing. You guys don’t have anything on me! I shan’t say another word till I speak to a lawyer.”
    Babu walked up to me and whispered, “My men checked on Reddy. He is a bartender in the pub,