TRICK
The court feels
that this was not an open-and-shut murder case.
This case was one of its kind.
But the kind of sensibility and patience
Inspector Viren Pratap showed
while solving this complicated case,
this court praises him for that.
Inspector Viren Pratap's promptness
and out-of-the-box investigation
revealed the truth
of this case.
The court sympathizes with the victim's family.
They waited a long time for justice.
But based on the evidence
provided to the court,
this court passes the judgement in favor of the appellant.
Finally, the verdict is out after ten years.
But I don't know why I feel
that this case is not as straightforward as it seems.
I…
The judgement has been announced.
The investigation of this case is a case study in itself.
It will be taught to students in the future.
I am not happy to solve this case.
It was ten years ago
when I received this case.
Vinita, the neighbors have gathered outside.
The mashed eggplant cooked by you smells delicious. Wow.
I have made potato curry and poori today.
You always exaggerate everything.
I brought mint leaves for you.
It's good that you brought them.
I love it.
After food, if I could get…
If you get a glass of cold buttermilk after food,
the food tastes doubly good.
This is called peace.
Alok ji.
-How far is the hotel from here? -Just five minutes more.
Okay.
We've booked a room.
-Okay. What's the name? -Alok Nanda.
-What is the name again? -Alok Nanda.
-Sir, what's is ma'am's name? -Vinita Nanda.
Gautam, 210 for sir.
I wish I didn't get the case.
Sir, I can't understand.
You should feel proud.
I have been regularly following this case.
It's such a complicated crime scene.
So many diverse motives.
It was not easy to crack this case.
Twenty days after the incident,
this case was handed over to me for re-investigation.
Sir, the murder case file of Vinita Nanda has come from the commissioner's office.
It's fashion these days.
No matter how much the police investigates
they send it to the crime branch for re-investigation.
Sir, there is an interesting twist in this case.
The insurance company appealed for reinvestigation,
not the victim's family or relatives.
The company's name is ACKT.
The CEO of the company, Rishi Jain, wants to meet you.
Okay. Send him in.
I know, sir. All of you must be thinking
that when it has already been proven that Vinita Nanda was killed
in the police investigation, then why are you appealing?
Of course. To save the money of the insurance company.
It's not like that, sir.
There is a procedure to pass the claim.
Sir, this was not a natural death.
The story, post-mortem, media trials, everything happened in this case.
We have to look at all the aspects before releasing the claim amount.
Sir, you must have read the FIR.
Sir, the FIR was filed by Inspector Satish Sharma.
-Where is the crime scene? -Second floor.
Sir, I am the manager, Mohan Mishra.
Sir, trust me. I am not at fault.
Please don't get me involved in this case.
Please understand. My daughter is getting married next week.
-Sir. -Shut up. Take him away.
-Sir, but… -Take him away.
Please move, everyone.
Move back, everyone.
Drive everyone out of here.
Come on. Get out of here.
Look at the mark on her neck.
The victim was choked to death with a wire.
She couldn't struggle as her body was weak.
She must have died quickly because her windpipe was choked.
Sir, that means
Alok took his wife to the hotel with an excuse.
He killed her there.
And then…
Sir, a gunshot. Point blank range. 3 mm bullet, Sir.
There is only one way to enter and exit this room. This door.
The manager opened it with his key and discovered the bodies.
That means only Alok Nanda and Vinita Nanda were in the room.
After seeing this, I feel Alok Nanda first killed his wife.
Then he killed himself.
Sir, I feel something else happened here.
Sir, I feel someone else was there in this room
with Alok Nanda and Vinita Nanda.
Who could it be? What could his motive be?
Sir, it's difficult to say that right now.
But, once the post-mortem report comes…
Do this. Call the forensic people
and get this room checked properly.
I am sure something went wrong here.
Yes. That manager.
He seemed hassled. Let's grill him as well.
Did you inform the victim's family?
Yes, Sir. They are going to be here soon.
-Mom! -Hey.
Mom!
Sir, I didn't do anything.
It's my daughter's wedding next week…
You will go to jail before that, Mr. Mishra.
It will be better for you if you tell us the truth about what happened yesterday.
Sir, Mr. and Mrs. Nanda checked in at 11 a.m. yesterday.
Mr. Nanda said that they shouldn't be disturbed.
The do-no-disturb sign was hanging outside the room.
Did you check the CCTV in the corridor?
Yes, sir. Mr. Mishra is right.
The waiter took the order 15 minutes after check-in.
He came out in two minutes.
Both husband and wife were fine till then.
But after half an hour, we heard the gunshot.
The room window was also packed.
So, no one could have come inside from outside.
No one entered from the main door.
Sir, there is one more thing.
When both of them were standing at the reception,
they were looking at each other lovingly as if they were recently married.
Sir, I don't know
what the old man thought after going inside that he shot his wife
and he died as well.
Uncle Brijesh, dad's elder brother.
He is responsible for all this.
He was very dominating.
He always treated Dad like a servant.
But after he got married,
Dad went away from him with Mom's support.
That's why he hated Mom.
Did both brothers and families meet?
Only on occasion.
Yes. Whenever Uncle met him,
he blamed Dad for his failure and loneliness.
Where does he stay?
The hotel Mom and Dad were staying in,
he has a place next to that.
With his family?
He was not on good terms with his family.
In fact, he was not on good terms with anyone.
When his son, Robin,
was settled in the US, he took his mom with him.
He lived alone.
And he became so bitter within
that whenever he saw my mom and dad happy,
he used to be furious.
Okay. You may leave.
Okay.
Sir, I am sure this is a murder.
How was his relationship with his sons?
You are doubting his own sons.
He had a good bond with his parents.
They used to love each other a lot, sir.
What about your brother-in-law, Amrut?
Well, Amrut had differences with my in-laws.
He is a little spoilt.
He is very different from his brother.
He wasted a lot of his family's money on gambling.
He dropped out of his studies halfway.
In fact, my father-in-law was worried about his future a lot.
Did Amrut fight with his parents?
Please don't tell Vishal about this.
But I suspect Amrut.
Whatever happened was wrong.
But don't turn my brother's death into a spectacle.
Vishal is a sorted boy.
Yes, Amrut is insolent. He used to fight with his parents.
But he couldn't do this to his parents.
And you?
I mean, did you and your brother fight a lot?
Yes, in our childhood.
But as soon as Alok started becoming sensible,
he started respecting me. He used to listen to me.
But after Vinita came, my brother changed.
He started to feel that I dominated him.
That I turned him into a slave.
Alok didn't understand
that he turned into his wife's pet.
Alok died today.
But he became distant from me years ago.
You rarely spoke to your brother for many years?
But coincidentally, you called him two days before he died.
He called me.
I saw his missed call. So, I called him back.
What did he say to you?
Nothing much.
He apologized for his mistakes.
You spoke to him for 15 minutes.
Yes. We discussed that we were inseparable before.
But for the past few years,
we were away from each other.
How do we believe you?
Don't believe me.
But I am telling the truth.
Vinita used to make Alok dance to her tune.
Alok used to consider her akin to a goddess.
But she was a witch.
Maybe Vinita was exposed
in front of him.
That's why he took such a drastic step.
Do you have a gun?
Yes. I mean, I had one.
But I surrendered it a few months ago.
You can go for now.
But we will summon you again if required.
Don't leave the city without informing us.
Sir, Alok and Vinita's sons are accusing their uncle.
And according to their uncle, Alok was fed up with his wife.
He took this step out of frustration.
As per the prima facie evidence,
we thought Alok killed his wife. And then, he committed suicide.
Now, if…
Sir, the postmortem report has arrived.
The postmortem and forensic reports also indicate
that Alok's fingerprints were found on the gun.
They didn't find any other person's fingerprints in the hotel room.
But, Sir, fingerprints can be erased.
Maybe Alok's fingerprints were placed on the gun.
Let's not elaborate this matter.
Because the forensic and postmortem reports have made things clear.
There are no doubts.
It is simple. Alok murdered Vinita.
And then, he committed suicide.
I think there is no need to investigate this case further.
Rishi, the case has been solved.
Alok Nanda strangled his wife, Vinita Nanda to death.
And then, he committed suicide.
You are underestimating the police for no reason.
Sir, it's not like that.
Our company strongly suspects
there was a foul play in this case.
Listen, Rishi.
We need the court's orders to reopen the case.
Here's the copy of the orders.
Rishi…
You have filed a case
against the victim's family and the first investigating officer.
Look, the incident took place 20 days ago.
-But we will still try our best. -Thank you, sir.
Watch the video carefully.
Sudha, take Vinita's position.
Take Alok's position.
Only two people were present in the room.
After the waiter left, no one entered the room through the door.
And there is no other way to enter the room except through the door.
As for the balcony, it is completely packed.
No one tampered with the balcony.
Varun, we are reinvestigating the case.
So, let's start afresh.
Alok's brother, Brijesh said that Alok was fed up with his wife.
Don't forget one thing.
Vinita and Alok were married for 35 years.
And their son and daughter-in-law said they shared a great bond.
As per the video,
here… The broken cup was here.
And… Here.
There's a mark of the cup here.
The waiter told us he brought one cup of tea.
Jennifer suspects her Amrut committed the crime.
Sir, I have already summoned Amrut.
Sir, I didn't know Dad had bought a policy of 6 million in Mom's name.
And what about your elder brother, Vishal?
I am sure he knew.
No, sir. He didn't know about it, either.
We found out about it after our parents died.
You claimed the policy right away.
We know you visit the insurance company every other day.
Sir… Sir, Vishal suffered a huge loss in his business.
And what about you?
We know you are addicted to gambling and drugs.
You don't have a job. Don't you need the money?
Sir, who doesn't need money?
But money is not more important than parents, right?
The forensic report says your dad strangled your mom.
Did they have differences? Were there any problems or issues?
Sir, Mom always supported Dad.
In fact, Uncle Brijesh never treated my dad as his younger brother.
He treated him like a servant.
We always saw them happy together.
Okay. Did you notice any changes
in your dad's nature recently?
Was there a change in his behavior?
Yes, sir. My dad's behavior had changed.
He used to remain angry all the time.
Especially with me.
But why would he do that to mom?
Mom was the life of the house.
She would look after everyone.
She would think about others over herself.
He was upset with me. What did my mom do to him?
You owe 2.5 million rupees to someone.
And the claim amount is 6 million rupees.
If the insurance company accepts the claim,
your problems will be solved in one go. Right?
Sir, I told you I had no idea about mom's policy.
Did your parents have any issues? I am sure you don't know that, either.
Sir, our parents were a perfect couple to us.
I didn't realize when their relationship went sour
and Dad killed Mom.
Vishal, did you ever feel your dad was stressed?
Was he suffering from an illness?
I have been stressed because of my business for the past few years.
Maybe I didn't notice.
-Did he ever get angry with you? -No. Never.
He would never get angry with me or Mom.
But I must tell you. He was stressed because of Amrut's actions.
He would reprimand him often.
Sometimes, he would even hit him.
But why would he vent being angry at Amrut on Mom?
Both of them are giving the same statement.
Isn't there only one truth, sir?
Right. Only a lie has different versions.
Well…
Let me hear your wife, Jennifer's version.
I mean, let's hear the truth from her.
You took Amrut's name
because you wanted the entire 6 million rupees.
I mean, insurance policy…
Yes, yes. I know you had no idea about it.
All of you are saying it in the loop. As if you memorized it.
Jennifer, tell me honestly.
Did it never occur to you
that if Amrut turned out to be the culprit,
you would profit.
You and your husband would get all the money.
Sir, dealing with crime has made you quite suspicious.
What is this theory?
And your mother-in-law.
What about her?
Everyone has been singing her praises.
Sir, she deserves all the praise. Such a great lady.
She loved humming.
She would sit on the balcony every evening, hum a few songs
and drink her favorite tea.
If you think about it, both Amrut and Vishal
needed money.
Whether they are involved or not, both of them have benefited.
Both of them looked at their needs.
Tea stains were found near the crime scene, right?
Sir, the waiter had mentioned
that there was an order from room number 210, for tea.
And it is mentioned in the forensic report too.
They found Vinita Nanda's fingerprints on the teacup.
That means she had drunk the tea.
Thirty minutes after the tea had been delivered, they heard the gunshot.
Doesn't it sound strange?
A couple checked into the hotel, went to their room
and ordered tea.
They drank the tea peacefully.
What happened in 30 minutes that both of them died?
Sir, tea.
Amrut, Vishal and Jennifer.
Their statements are quite similar.
I think the family is hiding something from us.
I think to understand this case,
we have to understand Vinita and Alok's relationship.
We've checked both of their calls recordings and text messages,
but we didn't find anything.
We found some voice recordings on Vinita Nanda's phone.
What recordings?
Sir, Vinita was fond of singing.
She has recorded some songs.
And there are some audio notes. Like an audio diary.
It has day-to-day matters.
Let's listen to the recordings.
I agree you sing well
but why do you keep recording each time?
Alok, you know it's my habit.
Habit? At least your habit does not harm anyone.
But if your son's bad habits continue
then one day, we'll end up selling this house.
Alok.
Why do you always bring the topic back to Amrut?
I agree Amrut has made several mistakes in life.
But watch, one day he will surely change.
You're his mother,
that's why you are ignoring the obvious.
Your son has gotten out of hand.
Alok, the one who loses his way,
is the one who can find the correct path.
And watch, one day our Amrut
will find the right destination.
I only hope his destination is not a jail or a rehab center.
Play the next audio.
There are so many sounds around us.
And when there is no sound
then you can hear the silence too.
But only if we listen carefully.
Sir, this has only day-to-day talks between the husband and wife.
Have some patience.
Sometimes this does not feel like just tea,
but it's oxygen for me.
If I am feeling sad, then I add more ginger.
And if I'm feeling happy, then I add two leaves of mint.
My happiness doubles with just one sip,
and sadness comes down.
This is my grandma's recipe.
My grandma told my father.
And my father told me.
Looks like this recipe will end with me.
Because neither does Alok like this tea,
nor do my children like it.
Nothing is permanent.
But, yes, as long as it's there,
we must enjoy it.
The case from 2014,
finally after 10 years, the verdict came in 2024.
All these years, both sons fought against the insurance company,
with the hope that they would get the claim.
But the truth came out, thanks to your investigation.
And they could not get the claim.
I'm not happy about winning the case.
Nor am I sorry for Amrut and Vishal.
I feel sorry
that we couldn't justify those who sacrificed their lives.
Yes, Inspector Viren Pratap, please tell us.
Jai Hind, sir.
Sir, this incident occurred on 23rd January, 2014.
The investigating officer of this strange case
was Inspector Satish Sharma.
Twenty days after the incident,
I was given the responsibility of re-investigating the case.
We gathered some new evidence,
and the result we got after studying the evidence and circumstances
has been recorded in this file, Sir.
Feelings.
Sir, to understand this case
and the motive behind this crime,
we didn't need a sharp mind or an information network.
But it was important to understand the emotions of the victims.
And that's what I did.
My name is Alok Nanda.
I want to book a room.
Okay, thank you.
Vinita was a good-natured,
spiritually inclined lady,
a supportive wife
and a caring mother.
Hi, Sujata. How are you?
I thought I'd catch up with my school friend.
I don't know whether I'll get this chance again.
Vinita Nanda was very fond of tea.
That day at 11:11 a.m.,
a call for room service
was made from room number 210.
And Vinita's favorite tea was ordered.
And black pepper? Okay, got it.
I'll bring your order, right away.
Before leaving for the hotel
Vinita decorated her house beautifully.
She cooked her sons' and daughter-in-law's favorite dishes.
She cooked food to last for two days and kept it in the fridge.
Tea has been mentioned several times in this case.
What is the connection of tea with this case?
Sir, Vinita shared all the joys and sorrows of her life
with tea.
That's what they did before taking such a big decision in their lives.
They ordered their favorite tea.
Mint, ginger, black pepper and salt.
And yes, add two extra mint leaves.
Listen…
Please boil it on a low flame for some time.
Vinita herself wanted
her husband to kill her.
Okay, Alok. I'm ready.
There were no struggle marks
on Vinita's body or Alok's clothes.
While investigating, we found that the chair that Vinita ji was sitting on
had nail marks on its armrest.
Because Vinita ji
must have held the armrest tightly.
Vinita ji and Alok ji loved their children immensely.
They were very worried about them.
Both their sons were going through financial crises.
That's why both the husband and wife made this plan.
We investigated their final moments.
And we found that
Alok ji had strangled his wife and killed her.
And then he killed himself
so that Vinita ji's death could be proven as murder
and their children would get the insurance claim.
As per the rules of the insurance company, if any person
plans a death to get the insurance claim,
then the claim is disqualified.
It's very sad
that the dream for which
Alok ji and Vinita ji made
such a big sacrifice,
that dream of theirs, will not be fulfilled.
Given all the evidence,
this court gives its verdict in favor of ACKT Insurance company.
They are not obligated to pay any money to the victim's family.
Normally, after solving a case,
when justice is given and we win,
there is a feeling of having done something right.
But I have lost despite winning this case.
I wish I hadn't got this case at all.
This was a unique case in itself.
It was a big challenge for me.
To understand the nuances of this case,
we tried to understand the minds of the victims.
Understanding their mindset,
decoding past actions and attention
was not easy.
For Vinita and Alok, their children were more important than their own life.
They wanted to get their children out of their financial problems.
They thought that with insurance money,
Vishal and Amrut can repay their loans.
That's why they decided to sacrifice their lives.
A mother and father's love is incomparable.
No matter how big the children grow up to be,
they are always worried about their children.
I'm very sorry
despite such a big sacrifice by Vinita and Alok,
their wish was not fulfilled.
As a human being,
I'm very sad about this.
I did what my duty called for.
Because nothing is above the law.
I will take my leave now.
I'll meet you again.
Jai Hind. you again.