FOURTEEN

She led them across the vast and tastefully decorated reception area to a large corner office. Aditya noticed that a similar cabin on the opposite side had been reserved for Tanvi. Chauhan’s office resembled a five- star suite, with its plush leather upholstery, teakwood furniture and French windows. It offered a magnificent view of the lush green field of the MCA club.

Pratap Chauhan was a tall, lean man, almost completely bald, with warm eyes and an equally warm smile. He looked exceptionally fit for a man of his age. He led them to a separate seating area in the office.

Introductions done, Chauhan got down to business. ‘So, Inspector Sachdev, how may I help you?’

‘We wanted to ask you about Tanvi Acharya and your impressions of her state of mind over the past months,’ Aditya said. ‘I have known Tanvi for many years now. She is an independent and intelligent young woman. Even I had not imagined that Dev’s death would have such a devastating impact on her. She just ... became a very different person after he died. Depressed and angry all the time. Lost interest in the business; almost stopped coming to work. And when she did, she would behave very strangely.’

‘Angry, you say? Angry about what?’

‘Well, Dev, Tanvi’s father, died in a car accident on the Mumbai-Pune highway. A speeding truck hit his car, and it plunged off a cliff. Even his body could not be recovered. Actually, Tanvi was supposed to join him on that trip, but she changed her mind at the last minute. She believes she could somehow have saved him, had she accompanied him on that fatal journey.’

‘You also say she behaved strangely when she came to work after Mr Bakshi’s demise. Could you please elaborate?’ Meera asked.

‘Earlier, Tanvi was a polite, courteous person. And very rational in her decisions. After this incident, she would often get angry at everyone—at times, for no reason at all. She would take business decisions that made no sense, sack people at the drop of a hat. There was every possibility that the company’s performance would be affected by her erratic behaviour. That is when the Board decided that I should take over as Acting CEO until she recovers completely and is fit to resume her duties.’

‘And when do you think that is likely to happen?’ asked Meera.

‘While I hope she recovers as soon as possible, I understand that her condition is not getting any better. I heard she attacked Rohit ...?’ Chauhan asked, looking at Aditya and Meera for confirmation.

‘She is unwell, that’s true. But we are unable to comment on her medical condition,’ replied Meera. Good answer, Aditya thought, observing her with a quiet smile.

‘How well do you know Rohit?’ Aditya asked Chauhan.

‘Personally, not too well; I have met him socially a few times, that’s all. Of course, he is a stakeholder in the company, so he does attend board meetings once in a while.’

‘So he was never closely involved in the business?’

‘Not really, which is a bit surprising, considering that he, too, has a background in finance. But he was never the ambitious sort. I believe him to be a kind human being who wants to change society for the better. I think he has been associated with an NGO for the past five years or so, although these days, I think, he spends all his time at home, taking care of Tanvi.’