THE INFORMER

 THE  INFORMER

Communication in all walks of life is important, especially in organisations big or small , private or public;  but while the top down communication always works very

well, it is the other way, [the veins way] that is always a problem . 

There is barely any formal or informal  communication from bottom up in almost every organisation. The latter way [the feedback] barring the usual union- manage ment meetings is never encouraged and not taken seriously by  the top management. . . 

The top's  attitude is " Take it or leave it  or Do it the way I tell you"

This sometimes leads to grave serious consequences   since it angers the work force as it feels that its  views are not heard sympathetically.. Since  the bottom up communication line is not formally established ,   the top is left guessing sometimes  as to what does the bottom think on important company decisions. 

This is when the top requisitions the services of informers from within the  organisation. ; The latter's identity is never known and they are paid well for their

services  depending on the value of their feedback . 

They live dangerously  There is also the possibility of informers from outside helping out as this episode reveals.

Vijay Gawand was employed as a fitter in ABC  a large engineering  organisation employing more than 5000 workers, with a militant  trade Union  located in the suburbs of the  Metropolis..

Vijay was staying in the company Quarters, and had gone out to buy some provisions for his family. But Vijay never returned home . his wife Vijaya got anxious and after consulting her neighbours lodged a complaint at the local police station, to  the officer in charge.

The inspector never registered the complaint, even after repeated reminders, ; it was then that Vijaya contacted the local vernacular paper who  were more sympathetic towards her. 

The news gained momentum with the media joining in. 

Finally , an exasperated Police Commissioner reacted; " Hello  Ashok, Find out the whereabouts of this missing man, fast and report; "I want some good news by tomorrow. "

Luckily for Inspector Ashok Tawde, the Prachi Corpn. reported, a bag containing a man's body cut into pieces.

Ashok rushed to the site and identified the body as of Vijay, from the heavily pox marked face, and reported it to his boss; 

"Well our job begins now; find out who is behind the killings fast"; The media, opposition will be after  us on   this murder, until it is resolved "replied the boss.

The victim, from the statements of his associates, came out as a normal human being with upright views; he did not seem to have any bad habits or  made  any enemies either at his place of work or where he stayed. he was well liked by his supervisors and by his colleagues at the work place and he got along well with the trade union;

Ashok was perplexed and wondered why such a  person was murdered;

The next day when his boss asked him on the progress of the case. Ashok admitted that he still had no leads to solve the case "Go and find out and don't tell me such sob stories " replied his boss angrily.

Ashok knew that if he were to get any leads, it has to be from the underground illicit liquor bars or the illegal  brothels that were located near about the worker's residential  quarters  of the company.

He asked his two toughies to raid the bars to get some information that night. but that resulted in a blank.

Ashok  then  sent for  his informers who keep watch on  the brothels.  Maya Palomi  was one such person;  a transgender, who also plied on the   sex trade;  Maya, have you seen this person, near the brothels, asked Ashok,  flashing the photo of  Vijay  Gawand. [ the victim].

Maya took a long look at the photo, and replied Yes;   

"Are you sure, Maya? " asked Ashok excitedly.

 "Yes , Saab",  replied  Maya;  "but he never went inside  the  brothel;  You see  Saab, there is a short cut kacha [untarred] way near  the  brothel  to go to the main market  and there are some, who use this route to save time".

"Oh!"  replied Ashok, ;  "that's disappointing; Maya,  Can you give me any further information on this murder? "

"Saab, if it is related to the brothel, ask the Madam", replied Maya softly, "She will have all the information .

"Thanks, Maya", replied Ashok;  Ashok was pensive, he  felt that a raid on the brothel, would give some info. on the murder.;pressure was also building up on him, as the media was relentlessly pursuing the  murder  and highlighting  the inability of the police to solve the crime. 

Ashok felt that he had to take  some tough and risky measures which would end in taking the madam for police questioning  as she might have some information..

He therefore  sent a decoy customer to the brothel, and  then asked his men to  raid it ."Keep her in police  lock up" barked Ashok, when the madam,was brought into the police station.

 After a few days, Ashok sent for  Shanta behen, [ name of madam] .  "Shanta ,  you will be in  police custody for conducting an illegal and immoral business indefinitely , unless  you cooperate with us", said Ashok.

 "YES SAHIB, I will cooperate" replied Shanta. 

"Ok let me see"replied Ashok; "Who killed  Vijay Gawand?"asked Ashok

"I dont know replied Shanta; It did not take place in my house ";

"Of course not, but do you know why and who killed him?" asked Ashok;

"No, no Sahib", replied Shanta;

Patil," take her back in  lock up, and keep her there till she changes her mind " barked Ashok.

After a few hours, Ashok  sent for Shanta, again; "Shanta, I am giving you one more chance to come clean; Dont waste my time; Tell me who killed Vijay Gawand ?"

"I really don't know Sahib, I swear" , said Shanta, sobbing 

 There  was a pause;

 Suddenly Ashok took out a paper from his pocket  and showed it to Shanta; " But you sent this message to the ABC  company from your mobile."

The message read "HURRY THERE MAY BE AN IMMEDIATE STRIKE" , two days  before the murder."Did  you  or did you not ?", Thundered Ashok

Shanta knew that she was cornered;  "Yes  yes" she finally blurted out. "But Saab, please don't tell anybody or I will be killed by the gang. "she then, confessed to Ashok, all she knew about the murder.

* * * * *

After informing his boss ,,  Ashok Tawde called the Press and informed  them that the case has been solved. 

In his brief with the Press, he said: "The relation between the Company and its union was not satisfactory. The union was agitating for a pay rise for its men, and the Company was not in favour as its finances, were low. 

The union then  decided to go on an indefinite  strike, and had earmarked a confidential date for it.

Saka Patil, the union leader, happy, that finally, he had convinced the union, decided to celebrate by visiting his girl Maya at the brothel.and leaked the date to her unwittingly who informed Madam about it.

Shanta[ madam] had an unwritten agreement with the company management to transmit any company information  to it. O n hearing about the impending strike, the management checkmated the union  by announcing  a  pay rise to all employees.

This angered Saka Patil, who suspected that the strike  information  was   leaked out from the brothel and thus ordered his gang to rough up, any company employee found near or  in  the brothel. on the days  prior to the announcement.  

The gang members ,got into an argument with  Vijay Gawand when they confronted him,   when  he was passing by, and murdered  him. Saka Patil  and his gang members have confessed to  the crime   and are presently in police custody.

As for the madam, she is already in custody, while the rescued  girls have been sent to protection homes," concluded Ashok.

G.VENKATESH





























































.