I don't understand how this could've happened.
What did you talk about?
He had asked me to get something for a client.
Sir, looks like Mr. Jai was electrocuted by the hairdryer.
- We found it in his hand. - Get it checked.
Sir, it isn't the hairdryer from the changing room.
- Sir, we found it there. - It's the same color, but it's not ours.
How the hell do you know?
I clean up every night.
This hairdryer doesn't belong to the hotel.
- Hello. - Hi, Vandana ma'am.
Sorry to call so late, but there's some news.
Tell me, what is it?
Jai had gone for a swim this evening.
He was electrocuted after leaving the pool. He's dead.
The police are here.
- What? - No one knows how it happened.
Hello? Hello? Vandana ma'am?
Vandana?
What's wrong?
Jai…
Who?
Jai is dead.
That Jai?
Shit.
How?
So suddenly?
Vandana.
What's wrong, Richard?
Why so serious today?
A friend of mine died last night.
Oh, God! What happened?
It happened suddenly.
He got out of the swimming pool to change.
Switched on the hairdryer and got electrocuted. He died on the spot.
- Oh my God. - Life is so unpredictable.
One minute, the man is alive, and the next minute…
This is so sad, Richard.
I couldn't sleep all night.
I thought talking to you would make me feel better.
Sorry if I'm disturbing you.
No, Richard. Anytime.
Was he a close friend?
No… yes.
We used to meet now and then on our morning walks and chat.
Last week, he said his girlfriend was leaving her family to marry him.
Now see.
Sorry, Richard.
Hey, Kapish! What's up?
Late for class?
- Move, Rakesh. I'm late for sports. - Wait! Come here!
Let me go, Rakesh! I'll complain to the principal!
You snitch! Let me show you an electric machine.
- Let go of me! - Come here.
Let go of me! Let go!
Let go!
Bharti Mali's phone has been switched on. Here in Mandawa.
At the Maharaja Dilip Public School.
Dilip Public?
Devi sir's kids study there.
- Let's check it out. - Let's go.
Thank you, sir.
- Parghi. - Sir.
Sajjan!
The first question he asked…
Mansoor!
We are searching for a phone. Show me your phone.
- Let it finish. - Don't block the screen, man.
Someone will hear it. Turn it down, will you?
- No one will hear it. - Turn it here. I can't see.
Will you shut up and let us watch?
Is this what you do at school, Harry?
Wait till you get home! Come here!
Who owns this phone?
We don't care what you were watching.
- Tell-- - Excuse me, ma'am.
- You don't care but the school does. - Sir, don't interfere. Let us do our job.
Whose phone is it, Harry?
Well? Don't stand there like sheep. Tell me who owns this phone.
Hello, Kapish.
Recognize me?
Is this your phone?
Rakesh said you gave it to him.
Where did you get it?
Please, Uncle. Don't tell my father.
He'll get very angry.
It stays between us, OK? Don't worry.
Tell me quickly, where did you get it?
Is it your Papa's? He gave it to you?
Well?
It was in Papa's van.
I took the phone without telling him.
Please don't tell Papa.
He told me not to go into his van.
Why's that, son?
He says… I mess up all his books.
His father is a Hindi literature professor…
at Mandawa Girls College.
He also runs a mobile library for village kids.
We sometimes donate our books and stationery to him.
What else is in the van?
Lots of books.
And? Any other mobiles?
Where's the van now, son?
At home.
Parghi, go to Mandawa Girls College. Bring Anand Swarnakar in for questioning.
Get a warrant and search his van.
I'll send two constables to watch the van until then.
I've met Anand Swarnakar before. He seemed like a decent fellow.
Sir, a mirror is always shiny on one side. The other side is always dark.
The Mandawa Police are here.
Everyone stays seated.
- Your Sanskrit professor will be here. - Sir, how can I help?
MANDAWA POLICE STATION
- Sir, it's you! How are you? - Sit down.
Can I call my wife? Kapish needs picking up--
She's been informed.
- We're coming from his school. - Is he OK?
Yes. Kapish is fine.
Don't worry.
What happened?
We're asking the questions. Just answer.
OK?
Sir, I came here voluntarily.
I'll answer all your questions, but tell me what's happened.
Seen this phone before?
Kapish found it inside your van.
It's possible.
I have many phones like this one in my van.
In fact, I have a box marked "lost-and-found."
Sometimes, I find stuff.
I keep it in case someone comes looking…
So, you've never used this phone?
I use my own. The one you took away.
Write down your number.
Remember where you found that phone?
It was a long time ago.
In Deloi, near Alsisar. That's where.
How long ago?
A year or two.
I went there to tell the villagers a story.
How many people were there?
Not many come. About 15-20 people. Mostly kids.
Sometimes their parents come too.
Did anyone see you finding this phone?
No. They had all left. I was packing up when I found it.
Write down the names of everyone who was there that day.
I don't remember their names--
Note down whatever you remember. Go on.
His story seems plausible.
But we'd better search his van.
Hello. Kassim, I've sent you a number.
Check the call records. See if this number shows up anywhere.
If you find anything, call me at once.
Sir, he fits the profile.
35 to 40, married with a kid.
The profile fits me too.
That's true!
But you don't have the time. You even work weekends.
But this guy? Who knows what he's up to on his weekly trips!
Is that lady your senior?
I'm her senior, but she's in charge of the case.
What case?
You're not allowed to say. Must be a big deal then.
Where's your van right now?
At home.
We need to check it.
- Here's the warrant. Want to see it? - No. There's no need.
I'm someone who encourages children to cooperate with the law.
Let's go.
OK.
Here you are. Be my guest.
Careful with the books.
They're in alphabetical order. It takes time sorting them.
That's why I don't let Kapish in here. He messes the books up.
He puts the A's with the B's. The B's with the J's.
Where's your lost-and-found box?
Down below.
I haven't opened it in ages.
We're taking these phones.
Sure. They're just gathering dust here.
Sir, don't mind my asking,
but what are you looking for?
Who cleans the van?
A guy called Bunty.
He cleans all the cars on the street.
You have his number?
No. I've never needed it.
Where does he live?
Never asked him.
When he comes tomorrow, I'll send him to the station to talk to you.
Are you done?
We've just started.
It'll be ages before we're done.
Don't worry about your books. They won't get mixed up.
Sir.
Can we impound the van?
If we could, you would've done it without asking me.
Sir, is there some way?
Nothing incriminating in there.
We have a protocol, Bhaati. We must follow it.
Search those phones. If anything shows up, we'll take it from there.
Sir.
Is everything OK?
They're investigating a case. I don't know much.
- My younger brother, Shiv. - Namaste.
Kapish took a phone from the van to his school.
It was in my lost-and-found box.
So that's what this is about.
Was it a stolen mobile?
We're investigating. Can't say now.
I understand, sir.
If you need my help, just tell me. Don't hesitate.
- Are you done? - Yes, sir.
Let's go.
If you think of anything, just call me.
Sure. If you need to ask any more questions,
or if I can help in any way, let me know.
- Send these to the lab. - OK, sir.
What's going on, brother?
So many cops for one mobile?
Must be something. You heard them. They didn't say much.
Don't you know why?
How would I know, Shiv?
Why are you here?
Your wife called me. She said the police were here.
She makes everything a big deal.
You go.
OK, listen.
Don't tell Father about the police.
He'll just worry.
- Why were they searching the van? - Why did you call Shiv?
I got scared.
Who else could I call but family?
What happened? What did they ask you at the police station?
Nothing. They asked me about some phone I found.
When and where I found it. It must be a dodgy phone.
- I see. - You're…
- Where is Kapish? - In his room.
Didn't I tell you not to go into my van?
Yes or no?
So why did you?
Sorry, Papa.
What did you see in there?
Nothing, Papa.
Kapish, you'd better tell Papa, or he'll get very angry.
What did you see?
Did you touch anything besides the box?
I didn't touch anything, Papa.
Tell me the truth.
Honest, Papa.
Promise.
If you ever do anything like that again,
Papa will leave home forever.
When people ask you where he went,
tell them Papa left because of me.
Mansoor, give the phones to Kassim.
Ask him to search them thoroughly.
Sajjan, did you get through to Sindoora?
No, Bhaati sir. Her phone's switched off.
The IT Dept. hasn't found anything on Anand's phone either.
They've cross-checked the call records. His number doesn't show up anywhere.
We already know
that he uses his victims' phones to operate.
He never uses his own phone.
Bharti Mali's number has been inactive for 26 months.
Anand said the phone was lying in his van.
Sir, I don't trust that Anand one tiny bit.
But you need a reason to suspect him.
He's a college professor. A family man.
He educates poor kids in his free time. Tells them morality tales.
- Does it merit a medal? - Get us proof, Bhaati sir! Proof!
This phone is proof. It led us to Anand.
There are just too many coincidences.
Depends on how you see things. For some, the pot is black. For others, the mirror.
No point in shouting at me! That's not proof!
There's something I don't get.
Why did he keep that phone?
If he's sharp enough to have evaded the law so far,
why didn't he chuck it out?
Absolutely!
It's also true he's our only suspect now.
Send a team to Deloi tomorrow.
Find out if Anand's statement rings true.
- Yes, sir. - Yes.
Asshole!
Kassim!
Yes?
I'll send you the list of dates when the dead women were discovered.
Find out where the professor's phone was on those days.
OK, Bhaati sir.
MANDAWA MOBILE POINT
AADHAAR CARD
- Hello? - Aarti, it's me, Mahesh.
Mahesh!
Where were you? I kept messaging you.
I couldn't get through to your phone.
I had to switch it off.
Why?
Because my family has found out about us.
They're forcing me
to marry a girl of their choice.
So, are you--
Silly girl!
I've run away from home.
I'm staying with a friend.
My family sent the police after me.
The police?
The police are after you?
Yes, I told you. My father has friends in high places.
The police are in his pocket.
They're probably already tracking your phone.
What now?
Switch it off.
I'll send you a new SIM.
Use that to call me.
OK.
If anyone asks about me, whether it's the police or anyone,
say you don't know anyone by that name.
Mahesh, I'm very scared.
Don't be scared.
Just do what I say.
Understand?
I'm hanging up. Call you later.
Miss you.
Miss you too.
Sir, why drag a poor car cleaner into this?
I swear. I never saw that phone.
I know, Bunty. It was Kapish who took it.
- Kapish? - Yes.
Why was I called to the police station?
They want to ask you a few questions.
I was called in too.
Don't worry.
Someone must've used that phone for some scam.
I found it lying somewhere.
How was I supposed to know it was a dodgy phone?
Here. Keep this.
A small apology for the trouble I've caused you.
No, sir. There's no need.
Everyone has needs. It's 10,000. It'll come in handy.
Keep it.
Do me a favor.
Don't tell the police I knew the phone was stolen from the van.
Or that we even talked about it.
The college exams are coming up.
I don't have the time to keep running to the police station.
Tell them what they want to know. Not as if we have anything to hide.
- As you say, sir. - OK.
Papa is back.
He'll set you right.
Nupur, sweetie, leave us alone for a minute.
Papa, please don't tell Mummy. Please, Papa.
I won't. Don't worry. Come here. I won't scold you.
You're a smart kid.
You know what you did was wrong. Right?
Yes, Papa.
Sometimes, punishment makes sense.
But it's more important to talk about what you were doing.
OK?
OK.
Look, at this age, it's not wrong to be curious about sex.
Everyone is.
But there's a way of learning about these things.
At your age, watching those videos can give you the wrong idea.
It won't be right for you or the others around you.
Right?
Now what you saw in that video,
no woman or girl wants to be treated like that.
Sex happens at the right age when a girl and boy want it.
Never forget something,
if you ever need to talk about anything, talk to me.
You can ask me.
Yes, Papa.
OK, my sweet son! All good now?
Sorry, Papa.
Nupur.
- Did you tell your mother? - No, I didn't.
Don't tell her. She won't understand.
Sicko.
No dinner for me. I ate at the canteen.
At the canteen?
But you don't like canteen food.
Since when do you care about my likes and dislikes?
Why?
You're sleeping out here?
Yes.
- Stop behaving like a child. - Can't you see I'm working?
You're going to be a father.
Anand.
Anand, no, please.
A year or two.
I went there to tell the villagers a story.
How many people were there?
Not many come. About 15-20 people. Mostly kids.
Sometimes their parents come too.
Found any proof?
We searched the van and the phones.
We searched his phone too. Nothing.
Find out how he gets the cyanide.
More importantly, how does he convince the women to consume poison?
Even if you can prove the girls eloped with him,
how will you prove their deaths weren't suicides?
You once said serial killers take something from crime scenes.
Trophies that remind them of their victims.
Does he strike you as that type of man?
Judging by the pattern, yes.
Where would he keep these trophies?
In a place he can easily access, but away from prying eyes.
Honey?
You look exhausted.
But now you're here…
You're done?
Hey!
Anand Swarnakar!
Open up!
Bastard, I'll fix you! Let me out!
Anand!
How dare you! Open up!
Anand Swarnakar!
How dare you shut me in! You bastard!
What's going on?
MANDAWA POLICE STATION
Sir, this man locked me inside his van!
This madam broke into my van.
I caught her red-handed.
You may suspect me,
but no law allows you to break into my house or property.
Don't teach me the law!
How dare you lock up a cop?
It wasn't a cop I locked up.
Is it wrong to catch a thief breaking into your property late at night?
She broke in! So, what's the difference?
I want to file a complaint.
About what? Do I look like a thief to you?
- Bhaati! - Sir, I was passing by.
Is that so? Sir, file a complaint.
She could be setting me up…
planting evidence in my van!
Rubbish! I'll bury you right here!
Sir, I didn't plant any evidence.
Quiet! You've made enough trouble!
I apologize to you on behalf of Inspector Bhaati.
Forget the complaint, please.
Sir, I apologize.
I need it in writing that she broke into my van.
If something incriminating is found, I don't want to get blamed.
I have nothing against him. Why would I plant anything?
If you say another word, I'll suspend you now. Get it?
Sir, I can understand you're upset.
Come. Let's talk inside.
Please come.
- We can calmly talk this out. - There's a limit…
What are you staring at?
Go inside.
Let's go, Bhaati.
I'm letting it go because of you.
I can see you're investigating a big case.
I have no reason to trouble you.
I'm the kind of man who helps others.
I let you search my van without even looking at the warrant.
But when…
something like this happens, it leaves a bitter taste.
I agree it shouldn't have happened.
- Make sure it doesn't happen again. - It won't. I promise.
You talk to madam.
I can understand if a new recruit screws up.
But what possible excuse do you have?
We have a procedure. Didn't they teach you that at the Academy?
Too busy practicing judo and karate?
In my 14-year career, I've never seen anyone behaving so foolishly.
Want to be a hero? Is that what you want?
So you suspect him. But what if Anand is really the killer?
What if something had happened to you?
None of the evidence in his van will be admissible in court now.
Because of your stupidity!
- Sorry, sir. - "Sorry, sir!"
What good is your "sorry"?
The investigation was going well till you screwed up.
Another stunt like that, and you're off the case. Is that clear?
Go.
Coming?
Or have you gone from Karate Queen to sprinter PT Usha?
Hop on.
The spirit will come.
It will take the love letter from the book.
The vultures on the mountains will devour it.
If the thief appears, he shall steal the love letter.
Good morning!
The gambler will wager the love letter.
When the sages come, they shall seek the love letter.
When the rains fall, they shall drench the love letter.
When fire burns, it shall singe the love letter.
Freedoms will be denied to the love letter.
When the snake comes, it will bite the love letter.
When the crickets come, they shall lick the love letter.
Termites will infest the love letter.
"When the apocalypse comes, the Seven Sages,
the Great Fish, and Manu will save the Holy Scriptures.
No one will save the love letter.
Some will save Rome, others Medina.
Some will save silver, others gold.
How will I, all alone, save your love letter?"
How much money did she take with her?
About 100,000 rupees.
Rajni has ruined our name.
With great difficulty, we found her a husband within our community.
We were arranging her marriage.
He's a widower. That's why he accepted her despite the scandal.
Or else, who'd go near a girl like her?
We wanted to settle things quickly before he could change his mind.
I had no idea my daughter would…
File the complaint.
Mr. Thakur, take your time. It sounds like a family matter.
That girl is dead to me.
She's no longer a part of this family.
- Parghi. - Sir?
Come, sir.
Find her.
Drag her into jail.
That's what she deserves.
Bhaati.
- About last night… - Sorry, sir.
I know I lost it.
It won't happen again.
Sorry.
DISTRICT COLLECTORATE
How can one buy cyanide legally?
As per the Poisons Act Schedule 2,
for substances like cyanide, every buyer and dealer must have a license.
Only the District Magistrate can authorize the license.
Do you have a record of the dealers who then sell it?
Yes, we do.
All cyanide dealers are obliged to keep a register
with a date-wise record of sales.
Can I get a list of the license holders?
Prashant will give it to you.
The red dots indicate where the victims' bodies were found.
Anand's phone was never at these locations, but it was always,
and I mean always, within a 50-100 km radius.
If the professor is the sole perpetrator,
he did not use his personal phone to avoid being traced.
What's important is
Anand's phone was outside Mandawa on each one of these dates.
Mostly, on weekends. Except for these three dates: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
These days were not weekends, festivals, or national holidays.
Which means the college was open.
If Anand is our guy, he took leave of absence on these days.
So the college admin must have his leave applications.
- I know someone who works there. - Ask him.
- Good work, Bhaati. - Thank you, sir.
We still need more compelling evidence to arrest him.
Parghi, ask your contact if the college lab has any cyanide.
And if it does, can the professor access it?
I'll find out by tomorrow. Sir.
And Sindoora?
Her phone isn't ringing, and no one is answering her door.
Sindoora is probably the key to the case.
Keep trying.
Sure.
You're watching your very own Khabar Channel.
We bring you today's breaking news.
Let's go straight to our crime reporter Sajid Mughal.
Thank you, Neha.
150 km from Jaipur is a small town called Mandawa.
It has suddenly come into the spotlight.
The police here are investigating a case
in which not just one, but many innocent girls have lost their lives.
Searching for one missing girl has led to the discovery of 27 bodies.
A girl elopes from home with her lover.
Not long after, her corpse is found.
Most shocking is that all the victims died in the same manner.
They're found in a public toilet. Cause of death? Cyanide.
The girls dressed in bridal clothes.
Kolwa, Thumri, Kherwa, Samod, Tetara, Kemla, Aandhi, Dholpur.
Different towns, same story.
A gang is operating in many districts.
They lure women with the promise of marriage.
Then use them and abandon them.
The poor girls are too ashamed to return home.
So, in desperation, and in a weak moment, they commit suicide.
DRESSED AS BRIDES, 28 GIRLS FOUND DEAD, MAYHEM ACROSS STATE