As Ruhana calms the quarrel between Suhanika and Anamika, a new case is reported to the bureau. Vineet briefs everyone about the case: a man is found murdered in his home, and the team has retrieved an ID card from a music academy. Maybe the man works there, or maybe he’s a student. However, they didn’t find any major clues in the house, and the neighbors deny seeing anyone coming in or going out.

The corpse is sent to the forensic lab, while the officers return to the bureau, pondering over the incident. Ruhana has instructed Suhanika to gather information about the man from social media sites.

Everyone returns to the bureau and begins their designated tasks. Suhanika is searching for information when something shocking catches her eye.

"The man’s name is Rakesh Awasthi. For now, we assume he works at the music academy," Suhanika says aloud, shocked by what she reads on the screen.

Stunned, she seeks attention from her peers, prompting Purvi to rush to her side. "Are you alright, Suhanika?" she asks with concern.

"I am fine, par ye dekho! This is shocking," Suhanika gasps.

"Kya hua hai, Suhani? Kya information mili?" Ruhana asks as she joins them.

"Yeh jo laash hume mili hai, ye hai ex-policeman Rakesh Awasthi. Lekin abhi toh wo ek music academy mein kaam kar rahe they, right?" Suhanika asks.

"Inspector Awasthi! Inhone toh kayi drug smuggling wale gangs pakde hain aur human trafficking wale cases solve kiye hain," Purvi says softly.

"Kaise pata, Purvi?" Ruhana asks.

"Jab main training mein thi, hamare team ne unhe assist kiya tha. I guess tum bhi thi, but your team wasn’t assigned," Purvi reminisces.

"Inspector Rakesh Awasthi? Unhe kisne maara hoga?" Ruhana is shocked to learn about him, having heard of him from her father and during her training days.

"Maine suna hai ki file room mein kuch case files mil jayenge Inspector Awasthi se related. Vo ACP sir ke dost they na, toh kuch cases mein CID ne unhe help kiya tha. Maine Abhijeet aur Daya Sir se suna tha," Vineet intervenes.

"Main social media se aur information nikaalti hoon," Suhanika suggests.

Ruhana nods, and on her instructions, Vineet, Purvi, Anamika, and others begin looking into cases involving Inspector Rakesh. Meanwhile, Dr. Salunkhe calls the team, and they head to the forensic lab. Inside, they find Dr. Tarika and Dr. Salunkhe in the midst of an argument.

"Sir, aap jo kehte hain, main usey sach maan leti hoon, lekin abhi aapne jo bhi kaha uspe aapko itna yakeen kyun hai? I mean, koi symptoms toh dikh nahi rahe hain," Tarika argues with her senior.

"Tarika, main jo keh raha hoon, bilkul thik keh raha hoon. Tumhare saamne hi maine 2 baar test kiye, tumne dekhe na? Fir tum aisa kaise keh sakti ho ki meri galti hai?" the old doctor retorts.

"Par sir, jab iski body pe koi nishaan nahi hai toh kaise maan sakte hai?" Tarika expresses her doubt.

"Arey, kya baat ho gai? Aap dono behes kyun kar rahe ho?" Vineet asks, intervening between the two doctors.

"Vineet, tum pehle puri baat sunna aur uske baad hi react karna," Dr. Salunkhe tells Vineet and his team.

"Sir, aap bataiye," Ruhana requests.

"Haan, toh iss aadmi ki maut zeher se hui hai. Aur… aur iske pehle tum log pucho ki kis zeher se maut hui, main bata hi deta hoon ki wo zeher pakad mein nahi aaya hai," Dr. Salunkhe says.

"Huh! Zeher nahi pata lekin maut zeher se hui? Aisa kaise ho sakta hai, Sir? Aur ye pehle police inspector tha, koi inhe kyun maarega?" Ruhana asks.

"Haan, Sir. Ye abhi 4 saal pehle hi retire hue hain, aur abhi bhi actively involved they police force ke sath. Log ab bhi inke paas apne doubts sulajhwane ya case samajhne ke liye aaya karte they," Suhanika shares her insights.

"Aur ye music school jaate they, shayad seekhne ke liye," Anamika comments as she enters the lab with Nikhil.

"Han Sir, wo Echoes Music Academy se yahi pata chala ki Inspector Awasthi kuch ghante music academy mein bitate they, as ye academy unke dost ki hai toh wo wahan seekhne jaate they," Nikhil adds.

"Toh fir toh ye unke kisi dushman ka kaam ho sakta hai," Ruhana says.

"Haan, Ruhana. Tum thik keh rahi ho, zeher bhi aisa hai ki pakad mein nahi aa raha hai, main phir se test karta hoon, shayad koi suraag haath lage! Par ye pakka hai ki iss zeher ne uske organs ko affect karna shuru kardiya tha. Ho sakta hai uske ghar se tumhe koi lead mile," Dr. Salunkhe says.

Ruhana is thoughtful as they leave the lab and head to the bureau on the upper floor. Anamika and Suhanika notice this and approach Ruhana together.

"Di, kya soch rahi ho?" Anamika asks informally.

"Main soch rahi hoon ki hum Inspector Awasthi ke colleagues se baat karni chahiye. Mujhe yakeen hai ki wo ab bhi zaroor kisi case mein apne colleagues ki help kar rahe honge," Ruhana says.

"Yes, I told you that he often helps his colleagues as all of them are his juniors," Suhanika adds.

"Chalo! Isme hume zyada time waste nahi karna chahiye, Ruhana. Hume abhi jaake unke colleagues se baat karni chahiye. Aur…" Vineet says, pausing as he looks at the team.

"Aur?" Ruhana asks.

"Aur main soch raha tha ki agar ye kisi case ki wajah se hua hai toh hum inke ghar ki talashi phir se leni chahiye. Ho sakta hai kuch clue mile?" he suggests, and Ruhana agrees with him immediately.

"Vineet, Suhanika, Nikhil aur Anamika, tum log Inspector Awasthi ka ghar achche se check karo. Aur Purvi, aur baaki sab hamare sath police station jayenge," she commands, and everyone agrees.

The team splits into two and gets to work. Ruhana, Rajat, Purvi, Freddy, and Pankaj visit the police station where Rakesh used to work. Meanwhile, at Rakesh’s house, the four-member team searches for clues. While searching, Anamika begins to detect a strange smell that the others cannot. As she looks around for clues, she suddenly collapses unconscious, prompting Suhanika to panic and run for help.

To Be Continued

Rinki_99 I hope you like the chapter. ❤️let me know in the comments.