[Babab96]

Dadaji ne Abhay kaa letter wapas wooden box me rakha.


Lakin box band karne se pahle unhone uske niche se ak purani kaali cover wali notebook nikali.

Notebook per koi naam nhi tha.

Bus corner per Abhay ki handwriting me likha tha—

“29 — kisi ko nhi dikhana.”

Me_ Ye kyaa hai?

Dadaji_ Tumhare pita kaa ak aur sach.

Aisa sach, jise jankar shayad tumhari najar me unki image badal jaye.

Me_ Political secret?

Dadaji_ Nhi.

Personal.

Tumhare pita bahadur the, intelligent the aur Nimrit se sachcha pyar bhi karte the.

Lakin wo perfect aadmi nhi the.

Unki ak bahut badi kamzori thi—

Unki life me Nimrit ke alawa aur bhi kai mahilaye rhi.

Me_ Kitni?

Dadaji_ Untees.

29.

Me_ Maa ko pata tha?

Dadaji_ Nhi.

Aftab, Bhim, Bhanu, Manjot… kisi ko nhi.

Sirf mujhe iss notebook kaa pata tha.

Age 16 aur 17 wale sambandh bus teenage attraction aur emotional attachments the.

Adult relations uske 18 saal kaa hone ke baad ke the.

Kuchh Nimrit se pahle.

Aur kuchh uski shaadi ke baad bhi.

Me_ Aapne Maa ko kyun nhi bataya?

Dadaji_ Iska jawab baad me dunga.

Pahle tumhe naam jaanne chahiye, taki tum apne pita ko naa devta samjho, naa pura shaitan.

Wo ak complicated insaan the.

Dadaji ne notebook kholi.

Har naam ke samne date, code aur 2-3 lines likhi thi.

---

1. Harleen Kaur — “H”

Abhay ki age 16.

Manjot ke Sikh pariwar ke ak purane dost ki beti.

college holidays me milte the.

Bus letters aur innocent teenage attachment.

Family ko transfer milne ke baad relation khatam.

2. Sonal Mehta — “Library Girl”

Age 16–17.

Abhay ke college library group me thi.

Sonal baad me Dharmchand Patel ke election campaign me volunteer bani, lakin dono ne past kaa kabhi zikra nhi kia.

3. Ritu Sharma — “Red Ribbon”

Age 17.

College admission coaching me mili.

Ritu, later Rajput Construction ke ak junior engineer ki elder sister nikli.

Relation kuchh mahino kaa tha aur family pressure se khatam hua.

Dadaji_ Ye pahle 3 bus teenage romantic attachments the.

Iske baad Abhay adult ho chuka tha.

4. Nasreen Qureshi — “N.Q.”

Aftab ki distant cousin.

Abhay aur Nasreen ki mulaqat Aftab ke ghar ke ak family function me huyi.

Aftab ko kabhi pata nhi chala.

Relation short tha, kyunki Nasreen ki engagement kahi aur ho gyi.

5. Meera Joshi — “Stage”

College theatre group ki actress.

Baad me Mahadev Deshmukh ke political cultural wing ke sath kaam karne lagi.

Meera ke through Mahadev ne Abhay ke purane college circle ki information collect ki thi, lakin use Abhay-Mahadev conflict kaa sach nhi pata tha.

6. Sameera Khan — “Transport House”

Salman Pathan ki maternal cousin.

Abhay ko uss wakt Salman se koi major rivalry nhi thi.

Relation family business meeting ke through start hua aur Salman ko pata chalne se pahle khatam ho gya.

Dadaji_ Salman ko baad me kuchh andaza hua tha, lakin complete proof kabhi nhi mila.

7. Teresa Pereira — “T.P.”

Anthony Pereira ki younger sister.

Legal documentation office me mulaqat huyi.

Teresa ne Abhay ko Anthony ke questionable record-handling ke bare me ak early warning di thi.

Relation isi wajah se emotional closeness me badla, fir Teresa city chhodkar chali gyi.

8. Shalini Deshmukh — “S.D.”

Mahadev Deshmukh ki cousin.

Political youth seminar me mili.

Mahadev ko iss relation kaa pata nhi tha.

Shalini ne baad me Abhay ko Mahadev ke ambitious nature ke bare me warn kia tha.

9. Radhika Patel — “Ahmedabad”

Dharmchand Patel ke extended pariwar se.

Dharmchand ki direct sister nhi, lakin uski distant cousin.

Abhay aur Radhika kaa relation Gujarati political-business circle ke visits ke dauran hua.

Dharmchand ko kabhi pata nhi chala.

10. Zoya Mirza — “Z”

Farooq Mirza ke elder business partner ki beti.

Farooq use apni family jesa maanta tha.

Zoya ne Abhay ko luxury land deals aur hotel-network ke kuchh internal tarike samjhaye.

Relation mutual tha, lakin Zoya foreign studies ke liye chali gyi.

11. Kavitha Menon — “South File”

Raghavan Iyer ke ak old colleague ki niece.

Administrative-law seminar me mili.

Kavitha ne Abhay ko government file movement aur record preservation me interest develop karwaya.

Isi se baad me “Project Suraksha” jesi thinking strong huyi.

12. Rebecca D’Souza — “Reporter”

Haa, wahi Rebecca.

Nimrit se Abhay ki serious love story start hone se pahle dono ke bich short romantic relation tha.

Rebecca ambitious thi aur Abhay emotionally inconsistent.

Relation bitter ending per khatam hua.

Dadaji_ Rebecca ne later fake stories me role nibhaya, lakin har chij bus iss old relation kaa revenge nhi thi.

Usper Michael aur career ambition kaa bhi influence tha.

13. Alina Fernandes — “A.F.”

Maria Fernandes ki elder cousin.

Maria ko iss relation kaa pata nhi tha.

Alina social-work training me Abhay se mili.

Uske through Abhay ko women literacy aur welfare trust kaa original idea mila.

Relation shaadi se pahle khatam hua.

14. Pooja Tiwari — “Accounts”

Rajput Construction ke missing junior accounts officer Prakash Tiwari ki elder sister.

Pooja aur Abhay kaa relation company start hone ke early months me hua.

Baad me Prakash ki financial problem aur disappearance ne iss old connection ko suspicious banaya, lakin Pooja conspiracy me involved nhi thi.

15. Farah Ansari — “J.A. Link”

Javed Ansari ki estranged elder sister.

Abhay ko uss wakt pata nhi tha ki Farah aur Javed related hai.

Relation khatam hone ke baad Farah ne Abhay ko bus itna warn kia tha—

“Mera bhai documents aur identities kaa galat use karta hai.”

Abhay ne warning ko properly follow nhi kia.

16. Nandita Rao — “Wireless”

Bhaskar Rao ki separated wife ki younger cousin.

Ak political event me mili.

Nandita ke through Abhay ne pahli baar Bhaskar Rao kaa naam suna tha.

Relation chhota tha, lakin notebook me Abhay ne likha—

“Is family ke government contacts bahut deep hai.”

17. Anjali Rathore — “D.R. House”

Devendra Rathore ke ak close relative ki widowed niece.

Devendra ne hi political dinner me introduction karwaya tha.

Usse pata tha Abhay aur Anjali close ho rhe hai.

Dadaji_ Ho sakta hai Devendra ne jaan-bujhkar ye relation encourage kia ho, taki Abhay ki private weakness samajh sake.

Ye Abhay ki shaadi se pahle kaa last major relation tha.

---

Me_ Fir Maa se shaadi ho gyi.

Dadaji_ Haa.

1990 me Nimrit se shaadi ke baad Abhay ne notebook me likha tha—

“Ab sab band.”

Lakin wo apne promise per completely tik nhi saka.

Shaadi ke baad ke relations uski sabse badi galti the.

18. Dr. Leena Kapoor — “Clinic”

Ak private doctor, jo Manjot ke angina treatment wale hospital me thi.

Relation emotional support se start hua.

Bahut short tha.

Leena ne khud relation end kia aur kaha—

“Tum apni wife se pyar karte ho. Apni kamzori ko love mat bolo.”

19. Saira Baig — “Registrar”

Naseer Baig ki former wife.

Naseer aur Abhay ke conflicts se pahle mulaqat huyi.

Saira ne shell companies aur forged directors ke bare me kuchh information di.

Relation kuchh meetings tak chala, fir Saira city chhod gyi.

20. Monica D’Souza — “Hotel Room 4”

Michael D’Souza ke hotel group ki former events manager.

Michael ki family member nhi.

Monica ne Abhay ko hotel meetings aur hidden political gatherings ki information di.

Dono kaa relation secrecy aur information-sharing ke bich develop hua.

Baad me Monica ko job chhodni padi.

21. Parveen Sheikh — “Warehouse”

Devgarh ration investigation se judi ak warehouse supervisor ki divorced sister.

Nimrit ki posting ke dauran Abhay Devgarh visits per usse mila.

Relation bahut short tha.

Notebook me Abhay ne khud likha—

“Ye Nimrit ke sath sabse bada dhokha tha.”

22. Lata Nair — “Southern Freight”

Suresh Nair ki company me accounts consultant.

Lata ne Southern Freight ke suspicious payments kaa hint Abhay ko diya tha.

Relation investigation aur personal closeness ke bich mix ho gya.

Baad me Lata bina inform kiye Kerala chali gyi.

23. Rehana Siddiqui — “Trust Centre”

Rajput Public Welfare Trust ke ak women education centre ki coordinator.

Maria Fernandes ke under indirectly kaam karti thi.

Maria ko relation kaa pata nhi tha.

Rehana ne khud resign kar diya, kyunki use guilt tha ki wo Nimrit kaa trust tod rhi hai.

24. Sunita Pawar — “Garage”

Trusted garage me office records sambhalti thi.

Fake mechanic “Ramesh Pawar” se iska koi blood relation prove nhi hua, lakin same surname ne later confusion create kia.

Sunita ne family cars ke maintenance records me kuchh missing entries Abhay ko batayi thi.

Relation kuchh mahine chala.

25. Madhavi Kulkarni — “Press File”

Ak regional magazine ki editor.

Rebecca ke professional circle me thi.

Madhavi ne Maria scandal ke uncropped photographs Abhay tak pahuchane me secretly help ki.

Relation emotional gratitude se start hua aur jaldi end ho gya.

26. Yasmin Mirza — “Resort”

Farooq Mirza ki distant cousin aur resort-design consultant.

Zoya Mirza se alag mahila.

Yasmin ne fake Gram Sabha aur community-land route ke bare me indirect clues diye.

Relation ko Farooq ne kabhi discover nhi kia.

27. Grace Pereira — “Archive”

Anthony Pereira ke cousin ki widow.

Pereira Legal Documentation Services ke old archive ko manage karti thi.

Usne Bhanu aur Aftab ke signature-record copies missing hone ki early information Abhay ko di.

Grace se Abhay kaa relation 1995 ke start me hua.

Dadaji_ Ye relation dangerous tha, kyunki Grace ke through Abhay direct conspiracy records ke close pahuch rha tha.

28. Ira Sen — “Collector Press”

Nimrit ke Collector appointment period me ak independent political columnist.

Ira Abhay ki public image per profile likh rhi thi.

Interview meetings personal relation me badal gyi.

Ira ne kuchh mahino baad relation end kar diya aur article publish bhi nhi kia.

Usne notebook me likha hua ak sentence Abhay ko wapas quote kia—

“Tum sach collect karte ho, lakin apna sach sabse chhupate ho.”

29. Code Name: “V”

Me_ Naam kyun nhi hai?

Dadaji_ Last entry me Abhay ne asli naam nhi likha.

Bus “V”.

Relation January 1996 se uski death ke kuchh din pahle tak chala.

Notebook me likha tha—

“V ko Road File 27-B kaa sach pata hai.”

“V ne kaha wireless branch compromised hai.”

“V mujhe Bhim Bhaiya ko inform karne ko keh rhi hai.”

“V per trust karna chahta hu, lakin iska connection D.R. se bhi hai.”

Me_ V kon thi?

Dadaji_ Mujhe bhi pakka nhi pata.

Possible connections 3 the—

Devendra Rathore ki private political secretary Vasundhara.

Bhaskar Rao ke office ki wireless analyst Vidya.

Ya Michael D’Souza ke hotel network ki legal consultant Veronica.

Abhay ne last page faad diya tha.

Asli naam shayad wahi likha tha.

Me_ Kyaa V accident conspiracy me thi?

Dadaji_ Ho sakta hai wo Abhay ko warn kar rhi thi.

Ho sakta hai use manipulate kar rhi thi.

Ya dono.

---

Mene notebook band kar di.

Me_ Papa Maa se pyar karte the?

Dadaji_ Haa.

Lakin kisi se pyar karna insaan ko automatically loyal nhi bana deta.

Abhay Nimrit se genuinely pyar karta tha.

Uske career, dreams aur safety ke liye ladta tha.

Lakin apni iss kamzori ko wo control nhi kar saka.

Ye uska betrayal tha.

Uski galti thi.

Isse defend nhi kia ja sakta.

Me_ Aapko sab kese pata chala?

Dadaji_ 1988 me mene use pahli baar notebook likhte dekh lia tha.

Usne mujhse promise lia ki me kisi ko nhi bataunga.

Mene use samjhaya, danta aur shaadi ke baad notebook jalane ko kaha.

Usne kaha sab khatam kar dega.

Lakin relations completely band nhi hue.

Me_ Aapne Maa ko bataya kyun nhi?

Dadaji_ Mujhe laga Abhay khud sudhar jayega.

Fir Nimrit ki pregnancy.

Tumhara janm.

Dushmano kaa pressure.

Har baar mene sach batane kaa decision delay kia.

Ye meri bhi galti thi.

Me_ Kyaa iss book kaa accident conspiracy se connection hai?

Dadaji_ Directly shayad nhi.

Lakin 29 mahilao me se kai ke paas Abhay ki meetings, routes, emotions aur private habits ki information thi.

Unme se jyadatar innocent thi.

Kuchh ne use warnings di.

Kuchh ko network ne unknowingly use kia.

Aur ho sakta hai unteesvi mahila “V” final conspiracy ki sabse important witness ho.

Me_ Aap mujhe ye sab ab kyun bata rhe hai?

Dadaji_ Kyunki tum apne pita kaa badla lene ja rhe ho.

Tumhe unki sirf heroic image nhi pata honi chahiye.

Dushman iss book kaa use tumhe emotionally todne ke liye kar sakte hai.

Wo kahenge—

“Jis aadmi ke liye tum lad rhe ho, wo apni wife se loyal nhi tha.”

Tumhe pahle se jawab pata hona chahiye.

Abhay perfect nhi tha.

Usne Nimrit se bahut bada sach chhupaya.

Lakin uski galti se uski murder conspiracy sahi nhi ho jati.

Aur uski bravery uske betrayal ko mita bhi nhi deti.

Dono sach ak sath exist karte hai.

Me_ Maa ko kabhi pata nhi chala?

Dadaji_ Jitna me janta hu, nhi.

Ho sakta hai use kabhi kuchh andaza hua ho.

Lakin exact number 29 aur ye notebook bus Abhay aur mujhe pata thi.

Ab ab tum teesre insaan ho.

Mene notebook apne hath me li.

Me_ Ye book mere paas rahegi?

Dadaji_ Nhi.

Abhi nhi.

Isme jinda logo ke naam hai.

Political aur personal consequences hai.

Tumhe bus unke naam aur connections pata hone chahiye.

Original book mere secret locker me rahegi.

Jab tum “V” ko dhundne ke liye ready hoge, tab last pages tumhe milenge.

Me_ Ab me Papa ko kese dekhu?

Dadaji_ Jese wo the.

Naa bus hero.

Naa bus bewafa husband.

Ak bahadur, intelligent, pyar karne wala…

Lakin deeply flawed insaan.

Aur Prathvi—

Apne pita ki himmat lena.

Unki secret life aur unki galtiya repeat mat karna.