"I am saying, I haven't done anything wrong!"
A man's desperate scream echoed through the police station hallway. He was dragged forward in chains, a police inspector pulling him while two constables shoved him from behind. His voice carried such raw pain that several staff members quietly rushed out of their rooms to see what was happening.
Criminals and suspects arrive here every day. They cry, they plead, they argue that they've done nothing. But this man's scream was different. It wasn't fear. It wasn't guilt. It was the furious cry of someone convinced he was being punished for something he didn't do.
There was no fear in his eyes.
No remorse either.
His expression said it all: he believed he was right.
Even though, practically, he wasn't innocent.
He kept repeating, "Giving my steamer to a licensed driver is not a crime!"
The noise irritated IPS Parth Gupta, who walked ahead of him, leading the way. Parth slowed down, leaned toward the man, and with a calm smile placed two fingers near his lips.
"Shhh. I don't want arguments. I only want answers. If you want to go home without unnecessary chaos, follow me and stay patient."
A wave of fear and hesitation immediately ran through the man. Parth's voice was polite, but there was something sharply unsettling behind it, a deliberate creepiness that made the man's confidence shake for a moment.
Still, the man refused to back down.
He clung stubbornly to his belief: that doing something legal, even if it unintentionally helped criminals, did not make him one.
The policeman shoved him inside the jail cell and locked the bars.
The man clutched the rails and shouted, "I will never fear, and I will never stop speaking for myself. If I believe I'm not wrong, I will keep saying it!"
{In Teer's Cabin, at Teer Investigation Pvt. Ltd.}
Teer sat in his cabin, finishing his evening snacks with a cold coffee. Dusk had already started settling in, and he needed to leave soon. He picked up his phone and dialed Kartik.
Phone: Ring... Ring...
Kartik picked up immediately.
Kartik (on call): Yes, Sir?
Teer: Where are you right now?
Kartik: Just a few minutes away from returning to the Mumbai sea coast, Sir.
Teer: What happened there?
Kartik: Nothing significant. We located the steamer in the middle of the sea. After five hours of checking every corner, the only thing we recovered was the owner's registration details.
Teer: And the steamer itself?
Kartik: It's in the custody of the Kinal Sekdi HQ now.
Teer: You didn't bring it back?
Kartik: I wanted to, Sir. But Miss Vyana from IBII issued an order with her signature. They took control immediately.
Teer: Fine. Leave it. When you reach the office, meet me first before heading home.
Kartik: Alright, Sir.
Teer ended the call, placed the phone on the desk, and quietly continued eating his snacks, sipping his cold coffee as he thought about the next steps.
{Inside Police Station}
The owner of the steamer was dragged out of the jail cell and shoved into the police van. The police had orders to take him straight to Kasi Interrogation Pvt. Ltd, a newly built private facility designed strictly for interrogation.
Inside the van, the man kept shouting nonstop, thrashing around as if the metal walls could hear his innocence. On Parth's command, two policemen finally tied his hands, feet, and mouth tightly just to keep him controlled.
{At Kasi Interrogation Pvt. Ltd}
Before entering the building, the man was untied. Four additional trained officers were already waiting at the entrance to ensure he wouldn't try anything during the process. He was immediately pushed through the door and thrown inside the special enclosed interrogation room meant for clamant, uncontrollable suspects.
The room had no cameras, no chairs, nothing except a single rug placed in the middle near the back wall.
Kasi's footsteps echoed through the hallway as he approached. Inside, the man stared with an angry, stubborn expression, sitting with his arms and legs folded tightly. Kasi entered with IPS Parth beside him and two policemen stepping in as backup. The door shut behind them.
Kasi: Hey, you. You already know what I want. So don't even try giving me arguments.
The man turned his face away sharply, expression stiff and dismissive. Kasi lowered his goggles slightly, his eyelids dropping as if he were tired of being disappointed.
Kasi: Who ordered you? Even if you didn't know the intention, just give me the name of the renter.
The Man (low voice, looking away): It's none of your business. It's my steamer. I can give it to anyone I want. What is wrong in that? I can't ask every customer why they're renting it. That will reduce my business.
Kasi: But—
The Man (shouting aggressively): No! I am not a criminal. Stop treating me like one! And I won't tell you anything. My business details are confidential.
Kasi stayed silent, jaw tightening, anger compressed and controlled. Then he slowly gestured to Parth.
Kasi: Mr Parth.
Parth immediately drew his gun and aimed it at the man's head from a proper distance.
Kasi: You talk too much. I warned you already. Just give me the answers.
The man smirked.
The Man: What a joke, officer. You think I will fear something I didn't do? She was my customer. I will never reveal her details.
Kasi: So your customer was a woman.
The Man: Oh… my tongue slipped. But anyway, you won't find her. And I won't tell you anything more. I've helped you enough. Now stop this hostility.
The heat in the room seemed to rise. His stubborn refusal pushed Kasi and Parth to the edge of their patience.
Kasi: I'm not joking here. Fifty-four people's lives are on the line, and you're sitting here defending yourself. They could die anytime, and you still think you aren't responsible? Fine. You're not a criminal… if you tell me who borrowed the steamer.
The Man: And I'll still be wrong? The more legal thing here is to protect my customer's personal identity.
Kasi: So that's your justification? You're really disgusting. Mr Parth!
IPS Parth quickly shot at the top of the man's feet. After this, the man lay on the cold cemented ground, screaming in pain and suffering.
Kasi: Do you still not fear?
The man kept screaming, tightening his jaws and rolling on the ground.
Kasi: Well then! Two of you, stop his bleeding and give him something to eat. Tomorrow, if he doesn't speak, the bullet will be aimed at his testicles.
Parth (slowly laughed): I hope he will not, giving me a chance to do that.
After the command given to the policemen and the warning to the man, Kasi and Parth left the room.
Inside the room, the smell of blood irritated the man's nose. His face stuck to the ground, jaw tightened, and body trembling as the policemen removed the bullet from his feet. Once a self-justifying man, he now craved mercy. But still, he refused to abandon his principles.
{At Teer Investigation Pvt. Ltd.}
After a few hours, Kartik arrived at the Teer Investigation Pvt. Ltd. building. He walked through the corridors with purpose, moving quickly toward Teer's cabin, knowing it was almost time for Teer to leave.
{Inside Teer's Cabin}
Teer looked up from his chair, relaxed, watching a cricket match peacefully.
Teer: Oh! So you've finally arrived.
Kartik: Yes, Sir!
Teer handed Kartik a small piece of paper, crumpled into the shape of a tight ball. There was a small weight tucked inside, ensuring that when it was attached to a door, even the slightest disturbance would make it fall.
Teer: Take this. Go through the east border of Mumbai. About four kilometers from there is the famous 7th Street. It leads to a small, wooded forest roughly two kilometers further. In the middle of the forest, you'll find a small wooden cottage painted red. Walk straight down 7th Street; it'll be abandoned. Disguise yourself to hide your identity and leave almost no traces. Attach this note to the door so it falls with the slightest disturbance. Do it after 2:00 a.m. tonight.
Kartik: But…
Teer: Consider it my small contribution to the investigation. Don't overthink it. It will help secure the reward after the case is solved.
Kartik, smart and perceptive, didn't blindly trust anyone, but he trusted Teer above all for personal reasons.
Kartik (with a gentle smile): Alright, Sir. I'll do it.
[Chapter 11: A Self-Justifying Criminal Ends]
[Chapter 12 will come soon...]