The Deadly Diamond (part 1): detective Byomkesh Bakshi stories

 Byomkesh had put up his legs on a table and was fidgeting his feet restlessly.

The newspaper was open on his lap. On this monsoon morning, we were

spending an idle day at home. The last four days had been spent similarly. We

were feeling depressed about spending this day in the same way. The constant

movement of his feet, did not disturb his concentration. He was reading the

paper. I was smoking a cigarette — none of us was exchanging any words. But

how long could we keep quiet? Just for the sake of talking, I said, "Is there any

news?"

Byomkesh spoke without lifting his eyes from the paper, "The news is serious.

Two culprits have been released."

Hopefully, I said, "Who are they?"

"One is Saratchandra's Charitraheen — he has been released in some cinema

halls. The other is Ramanath Neogi — he was released from the Alipur jails. It is

a ten day old news — and Kalketu has kindly published it only today!" He

turned the paper in frustration and got up.

I realised that he had lost patience because of this dearth of news. It was unfair

that on such a rainy day there was no crunchy and hot news. I asked, "Who is

Ramanath Neogi?"

Byomkesh began pacing the room. He looked out of the window towards a dull and wet day and said, "Neogi is not an unknown person — a few years back

his name was published in large print on newspaper."

"You have not answered my question — who is he?"

"He is a thief — not a petty pilferer but a jewel thief. He was as intelligent as

bold and daring," Byomkesh heaved a sigh of regret, " Nowadays one doesn't

find such great criminals."

I said sarcastically, "It is really the misfortune of our country. But why was his

name printed in large letters?"

"Because at last he was caught and tried in a court of law." Byomkesh picked

up a cigarette from a tin and lit it carefully, relaxed in his chair and said, "I still

remember the incidents although it was ten years ago. I had just started my work

— it was long before I met you."

I noticed that though he had started talking casually, he was gradually

becoming animated as he recalled the past. I thought that it was better to listen to

an interesting story on a dull, lazy, rainy day, rather than be bored. So I said,

"Tell me the story."

Byomkesh said, "There is no story — but the whole incident is a mystery to

me. The police had worked very hard and showed some success too but could

not retrieve the real thing."

"What was the real thing?"

"During that year, there was a sudden spate of jewellry theft in this city of

Calcutta — today Jawaharlal Hiralal was robbed, the next day Dutta jewellers

was burgled — in fifteen days at least five large shops suffered great losses,

mounting to lakhs of rupees. Police started investigating.

"Then, there was a burglary in Maharaja Ramendra Sinha's house. I won't

insult your knowledge by telling you who he is. There are very few Bengalis

who are not acquainted with his name. He is as rich as he is benevolent. There

are few like him nowadays. He is in a bit of trouble now — but let that be. He

was a collector of precious stones. The stones were displayed in a glass case in a

room in the second floor of his house. The room was guarded continuously —

and very well. But even then there was a break in. Two guards were found lying

unconscious and quite a few jewels were stolen.

"Maharaja had a blue diamond in his collection — he treasured this stone

because he thought that it brought him luck — he wore it in a ring. But lately the

stone had become loose. So he had kept it in the room and was thinking of

calling a jeweller to reset it in another ring. This blue diamond was also stolen.

"I don't know how much knowledge you have of diamonds. But blue

diamonds are rare and exquisite stones. The value of blue diamonds doesn't

depend only on their weight but are priced, especially in our country, on their

powers of changing the fortune of a person. The blue diamond is supposed to be

the stone of the planet Saturn. It is common belief that if a blue diamond is worn

and it suits the person — he can rise from rags to riches and if it does not suit a

person, he can become a pauper. The effect of the blue diamond is either very

good or very bad depending on the person wearing it, and whether it suits the

person. So the value of these blue diamonds is not determined by their weight. I

have seen a Marwari gentleman paying thousands for a tiny piece of blue

diamond. I am not superstitious by nature but even I have been forced to admit

the powers of this particular stone.

"Anyway, when this diamond was stolen from his house — the Maharaja

raised a great hue and cry. Although he had lost thousands of rupees worth of

precious stones he was most concerned about this particular diamond. He

announced that even if the thief was not caught, and if anyone could give him

back the diamond he would reward him amply. The police started investigating

with great gusto — they even employed their detective Nirmal babu for the job.

"Nirmal babu is unknown to you, but he is really very intelligent. I was

fortunate to know him, he has retired now. Within seven days, Nirmal babu

recovered all the stolen jewels with the burglar — who was no other than our

Ramanath Neogi. Although all the stones were found after searching his house,

the blue diamond was missing.

"Later, Ramanath was consigned to the jail for twelve years after a long court

case. But still the diamond was not found. Ramanath refused to speak. But

Maharaja Ramendra Sinha began pressurising the police to retrieve his diamond.

So much so, that after three months of imprisonment, Ramanath's cell was

searched by no other than Nirmal babu. Police spies in the guise of prisoners,

had informed that they had seen the stone on Ramanath. But nothing was found.

Ramanath was in Alipur jail at that time — but where he had hidden the

diamond in that small cell, was a real mystery.

The police gradually gave up the search."

Byomkesh was silent for a few minutes, then spoke to himself, "Strange

problem — where could a prisoner hide a stone as big as a cardamom pea. If I

was investigating the case, I may have found it and could have won the reward,"

In the middle of Byomkesh's soliloquy we heard footsteps on the stairs

outside. I sat up, "That must be a client, Byomkesh." Byomkesh listened

attentively and said, "Old man, costly shoes, they can be heard even on this rainy

day. Probably roams around in cars — so he is wealthy. He limps a little....."

Suddenly in an excited voice, Byomkesh said, "Ajit, look out of the window and

see if a huge Rolls Royce is standing at our door — yes? Then I am right. What

co-incidence, Ajit, the person we were speaking of, Maharaja Ramendra Sinha

has come to me — do you know why?"

I said excitedly, "I know, I saw the news in the paper. His secretary Haripada

Rakshit has been murdered recently — maybe that's why...."

There was a knock at the door. Byomkesh welcomed the visitor warmly and

reverentially. Although I had often seen his photographs in newspapers — this

was the first time I had seen him in person. There was no pomp or grandeur

surrounding him. He seemed a simple, frail person. There was some problem in

his leg for which he limped a little. He was over sixty but his skin was not

wrinkled — he had an air of calm dignity.

Maharaja smiled questioningly at Byomkesh, he was a little surprised too, "It

seems from your expression that you were waiting for me. Did you guess that I

was going to visit you?"