01x04 - The Blind Eye

[bunniefuu]

Hey, lower him.

Easyyou'll break

his neck again.

"Due to mental stress

I commit suicide.

No one is to be blamed

for this but me.

Do not blame my sister and

brother-in-law for my crimes."

Someone tipped him off.

There goes our

prime suspect.

At least you and your family will be

spared - the guilty party's gone.

Why don't you both take

a break, get some food.

Go to the canteen.

I don't believe this is suicide.

From everything I have heard

about Raaz - he was too bold.

- m*rder?

- Sir, he was a habitual poacher.

He must have had connections with

other gangs, and organized crime units.

And we had so many

leaks early on

someone must have heard

we were after him.

And if we did catch him

he would have told us everything -

so they had motive.

That's truebut the fact is,

Raaz is gone.

And whatever knowledge

he had about this case

or any other syndicate,

went with him.

Unless we get it classified as a

high priority m*rder case.

Then we can find out who did this,

and we can follow the trail.

Is that a trail you

really want to follow?

We're trying to save

our DFO's job

and you want to hunt gangs

across the country?

I'm trying to save a species.

Sorry, Sir.

Sir, at leastlet me go to

the site, just to see for myself.

We don't have much time

and the police may not give the

crime scene the attention it deserves.

Sir, you won't mind if I go home?

I'll work from there.

If you still have a home.

I thought we were keeping

a low profile on this.

Going there now - you're peering out of

the trenches and putting us all in danger.

I'll be careful.

I need to see Raaz's body,

and the suicide site.

Are you coming?

I never shy away from

a dead body-viewing.

Can I suggest we take the

Chief Conservator with us?

He has good Forest Department

contacts over there.

Yeah.

- Nagesh?

- Hello, Sir.

ListenI have confirmation that

Ravi Don is out of the country.

- What do you have?

- Not much, Sir.

We can barely see

inside the house.

- How far are you?

- 30 meters away.

Are you f*cking stupid? You need

to be looking down their throat.

Get closer to the house.

Track his wife's every

movement, and update me.

How, Sir?

We'll be spotted.

Use your head. Do I have to

spoon-feed you everything?

Papa, the PTA meeting

was today.

Yeahhow did it go?

I have 'room for improvement'.

Can I go?

Wait a minute.

Sorry, I got held up

and couldn't leave.

Achala

Was it life or death

what you were doing?

I love train samosas.

My wife thinks I'm crazy.

It's not the samosa,

it's the environment.

If you had the same samosa

at home, you'd spit it out.

Would you like some?

The groundskeeper won't willingly

give us the information we need.

We can't interrogate him.

No, and we can't tell him

who we are, either.

What is it?

Thambi?

How do you know Raaz?

I'm his niece, and this is

his close friend, Santosh.

I just want to collect

his personal belongings.

Of course.

What happened?

It's nothing -

what are you doing here?

- I slept over last night.

- Yeah?

Sorry dear, I didn't know.

I was working.

Last night we

waited for you.

- You did?

- But you came home so late.

Auntie was saying

you should act like a normal

Uncle and be home with us.

I want to be normal.

But there's a little problem

with elephants.

What problem?

I want to save them for you, Zoya,

so that when you grow up

there will still be thousands of

them roaming the jungle.

Wouldn't that be nice?

But there are some bad men,

hunting elephants.

Do you want your Uncle

to save them?

Then I'll have to work a lot.

But once they're saved,

I'll spend more time with you.

Can I see the elephants?

- It's better not to.

- Why?

They'll get scared.

Even though elephants are huge,

they're afraid of humans.

They just want to be left alone in

the jungle, in silence and peace.

Uncle, why do you like

turtles so much?

Because they're so interesting.

They carry their homes

on their back.

They're strong, they're good swimmers,

they live for hundreds of years

I wish I could be a turtle.

Wouldn't that be nice?

Listen, I'm going to

slip out quietly.

Don't tell anyone

you saw me, okay?

If you can keep this secret,

this turtle is yours, okay?

- Deal?

- Deal.

Done?

How long before you forgive me?

I married a computer programmer

who got a job in Delhi

but refused to move

his family there.

You don't think I wanted to?

But I prefer that you all

have clean air and water.

So he says. And then I

made a deal with him.

He works for 2 weeks a month

in Delhi, and the rest at home.

And then when he was home,

he was home.

He was a husband and a father.

Not sneaking out at night,

missing his son's life

- lying about where he is.

- When did I lie?

Seriously? What do you do then,

when you're out all night?

And why can't you bloody well

do what you say you will?

I can't go on like this, Alan.

You can't even be present for a second

without checking that damn thing!

- I was just checking the date.

- The 9th.

I want to show you something.

- Fine, show me.

- Not now.

Tonightlate.

- Gerson?

- Hi Krishna.

- Have you met the SHO?

- No, I just got here.

SHO Sir - I'm Krishna SP, from the

Kerala Forest Department.

And this is Gerson D'Costa,

of the Forest Department here.

We'd like to examine the body

you found at the estate, yesterday.

- Now?

- If that's alright?

- Do you have an official order?

- Hmm, from Neel Banerjee.

Raaz stayed here. He came

for a short while, so

Those were his cooking utensils

And herehe slept here.

Sometimes we played cards,

and hung out.

But he didn't talk much,

he was the silent type.

I was close to my Uncle.

He couldn't have committed suicide.

Well

I was the first one to see his body,

hanging from the tree.

Comeyou see that branch?

Raaz's body was

hanging there, like this.

And his things were

come, I'll show you.

Over here

The money was here,

and the g*n was there.

And one of his shoes was

lying here, and the other there.

Andlook at this.

This

- Can you send me these photos?

- Sure.

I agree with you - Raaz didn't

climb up there and hang himself.

He wasn't that kind of guy.

And look here.

See his socks?

Totally clean and white.

If Raaz climbed that tree,

his sock would be a little dirty.

Now look at Raaz, and look

how thin the branches are.

He would have struggled

when he hanged himself

and the branch would have

snapped, right? But it didn't.

So that means someone

came here, m*rder*d Raaz

and made it look like suicide.

We should examine the

handwriting in the note.

I want to see his body.

Why here?

Don't know. The chief

asked me to come with you.

Follow me.

Magnificent creatures.

There's been an ongoing

battle for years

between activist groups and the

government, to ban the use of elephants

in religious ceremonies

and weddings, but

the public seems to want it.

Despite the t*rture to these

magnificent creatures.

They're supposed to walk for

16 hours a day, eat on the move

and feel free to play,

but in 'God's Own Country'

Well, you can see for yourselves.

I have read Morris Finn's

second interrogation report

where he has stated that pruning the

tips of the tusks of c*ptive elephants

produces small bits of ivory

that sustain the ivory trade?

It is something we

need to address, Sir.

They claim it's for

hygiene and safety

but in fact, it is to constantly sell

their ivory tips to low-level buyers.

- You'll have to let this go.

- Why, Sir?

There's a reality that you

are both mildly aware of.

You're allowed to gallivant around the

countryside and stop the big poachers

because it doesn't bother

the people in power.

And because, the public at large

don't really want poaching.

But, if your work upsets the

status quo high above us all

then you lose that

power to protect

and seal the fate of

these beautiful creatures.

The fact is,

the owner of this estate

was one of the largest contributors

to the election campaign last year.

And there are many many more

such estate owners and temples

who keep c*ptive elephants,

doing the same.

So

if you meddle with them

you're cutting yourselves

off at the knees.

And besides, the economic

reality is that

sustaining the market at low levels

preserves elephant lives as a result.

So there's an ethical argument

to letting it go.

It's their punishment for

being on the same planet as us.

Keep going on with your

investigation, catch the bad guys.

I'll have your backs,

I'll fight for you.

Unless

you fly too high.

Hey, that's him.

SHO Sir, this is Mala

and Santosh, from my team.

Mala - SHO Rodriguez, and Gerson,

from the local Forest Department.

You're also a range officer?

Yes, Sir.

I needed information from you.

And now we need your official

statement about Raaz's death.

HeyI trusted you.

Hey!

Hello, hello -

please, please come.

Rope marks around his neck,

and it appears as though

some vultures got to him.

But no other visible signs

of struggle or injury.

- Cause of death?

- Suicide.

- You're sure?

- Yeah, see for yourself.

The rope marks,

and the broken neck.

- Thambi believes it was a m*rder.

- How so?

He showed us the crime scene -

his socks were completely clean

implying that his shoes were

removed after he was hanged.

And that branch wasn't strong

enough to sustain Raaz's weight.

Which means if Raaz struggled,

the branch would have snapped.

- And the money and g*n

- What money?

- Found at the crime scene.

- There was no money there.

Thambi took photographs.

What crime scene is this?

He's making it up.

Fine, forget the money.

- But it's clear, this was m*rder.

- That's nonsense, Madam.

It's clear this is suicide. Why would

I challenge my doctor's report?

- So no postmortem?

- What's the point?

- We can at least do a toxicology test

- Why?

Sir, if we classify this as a high priority

m*rder case, maybe we can find the truth.

There's nothing to find. You read

too many detective novels.

Sir, we need to determine if other

poaching gangs are active or not.

And you're too afraid to

do extra paperwork.

Madam, the Forest Department thinks

they can bully their way around here.

Stop acting like you

care about conservation.

- You just want your cut, that's it.

- Say that again!

- Fine, I'll speak to the Superintendent.

- Go ahead.

But without my recommendation,

or the attending physician's

the Superintendent won't

do anything.

It doesn't matter what this guy's

done to warrant this end.

But his death will be

classified as a suicide.

And he did it when he felt pressured

by the Forest Department.

His note clearly indicates this.

Harish, take them out.

How can you do this

when you know the truth?

Let it go.

You have plenty to do on this case,

and this SHO won't budge.

There is no point in

ruffling more feathers here.

Papa

Thank you.

It's from Ma,

but she's still angry.

She wants to know what time

you're both going out tonight?

- Midnight.

- So late?

Yeah, Mala?

Sir, do we still have Poyya's relative

Yadu, and the others, in custody?

No, we had to let them go.

I have an idea that may help us

catch Poyya - I'll call you back.

What?

- Where are you?

- Doing an inspection.

- I need you.

- I'll sit this one out.

So you're not

going to help me?

Mala, I want to help, but I can't

watch you do this to yourself again.

- Then you shouldn't have

- Don't.

How many times are you

going to play the guilt card?

As many as it takes.

sh*t.

Back again?

I still don't know

where Poyya is.

Heyif there's any way to

get a message to Poyya

his life's in danger - someone's

out there, hunting his accomplices.

If they find him

it'll be much worse than if we do -

they will make him suffer.

It seems our friend Yadu has

suddenly remembered where Poyya is.

Finally, progress. Tell me

In Nagavilli, Karnataka,

near Bangalore.

Yadu can arrange for us to

meet Poyya, via an intermediary.

I think if Yadu tells Poyya he's

bringing money for him, it could work.

Where?

Yadu suggested a bus stand in Kasargode,

on the Karnataka-Kerala border.

Great! Leave now. Pick me up

from Kozhikode, I'll wait there.

Just us? Are you

sure about this?

Charging at Poyya at a bus

stand might get dangerous.

Really? If it's too dangerous for you,

just send me Yadu and sit this one out.

Well, well

Hello, Mr. Illampally.

He was a poacher, wanted in the

recent case of elephant slayings.

Brother, get me a veggie special.

And while they're calling it a suicide

I wouldn't be surprised if the Forest

Department dished out their own justice.

It could have been some

enforcement officer

who hit him too hard

during interrogation.

But the sad truth is,

we'll never find out.

And whatever this Raaz

knew died with him

You youngsters worry too much.

People these days

they don't smoke or drink.

What has this world come to?

I just don't like taking

things from strangers.

My dear, what's bothering you?

- You wouldn't understand.

- Maybe not.

I have no kids

and my wife's dead.

But that doesn't mean I'm annoyed

at the world. I can still laugh at it.

- You're lucky, then.

- How?

I'm not lucky -

I'll be dead soon.

My point exactly.

That should cover both of us.

Nice to see you again.

Glad you could make it.

What's your problem?

Try travelling with this joker for a

few hours, you'll end up like me.

- Like it's been a picnic for me.

- Shut it.

Stop it, both of you.

We need to stay cool.

The real assholes are out there.

I don't understand

what the big deal is?

So a few elephants died,

why are you all so bothered?

Every individual counts.

They're the engineers

of the forest.

Meaning?

Their droppings spread crucial

nutrients throughout the forest.

Trees also disperse their

seeds through elephants.

So what, most forests

don't have elephants.

But these forests always have.

When they move and feed, they bulldoze

through the bush like a tornado

debarking and ripping trees apart.

Churning up soil, destroying their path,

and in turn, allowing for regeneration.

And for smaller species to coexist.

And I thought you two

didn't get along.

- And have you ever

- It's unfortunate that

If they die out

the jungle will saturate, stop growing,

and every living thing in it will perish.

We humans are nested in

the same environment.

The only reason you're not coughing to death

when you inhale, is because of these forests.

And what about my sister?

The elephants steal

all of her crops.

Even after a harvest, she barely

has enough to feed her family.

So it's okay for them

to cause this?

Elephants have genetic memories.

They forage for 16 hours a day

in the direction that their

memory tells them to go.

And if they arrive at a place

where a new paddy field

or highway has been built

it's their God-given habitat

We've taken it from them,

so they're going to lash out.

Try telling that to

your starving child.

- Yeah?

- I spent the day on the CDRs again.

I found another connection -

Sasi Illampally.

He wasn't on our first list

of suspects for this case

but Morris would call him frequently.

Illampally would then call Morris back

and travel to Trivandrum

the next day to meet him.

This happened thrice.

I know this Illampally -

I arrested him a few years ago.

Back then, he was a newcomer

to the trade. I know where he is.

I'm back late tonight,

hopefully with Poyya.

- We can pick him up tomorrow.

- Okay, okay

Sir

Thanks for coming.

We need to discuss this.

Dina picked these up, when she

raided Morris Finn's workshop.

- Where's Dina?

- She's keeping a low profile.

The Head of the Forest Force has

launched an investigation against her

Some internal issue.

But Dina believes that it's not just

foreign buyers ordering the ivory

- but ones within India.

- That can't be, Sir.

I mean, minor cases aside

there's never been a major

market for ivory within India.

At least not in my lifetime.

But the China trade routes were closed

years ago, and are still monitored.

Just look carefully

at the sculptures.

Actually yeah, you're right.

I mean, there's no way a

Chinese buyer would ask for this.

No, only Indians would.

Trace where this all goes.

To Delhi and wherever else

Sir, we have leads on many

potential poachers right now.

But I think we should start

surveillance on this art dealer in Delhi.

And we should go after her

as soon as we're done here.

Yesproceed.

But I still don't want to

include other organizations.

Especially after today's

meeting with the Chief.

And if this is a regular

affluent buyer in Delhi

she's not going anywhere.

Where is Mala?

En route to Kasargode,

to track a suspect.

That's a beautiful area.

She's probably lost in

paradise right now.

We're supposed to go to the bus

stand sign, Poyya should be there.

There's the sign.

Be careful, he might

have a knife or dagger.

There he is.

Let go of me -

who are you assholes?

I had no choice, Poyya.

They told me people were

after you, your life was in danger.

And you fell for it?

Let go of my hands!

Relax Poyya -

if you talk, you'll be okay.

Where are you taking me?

Keep walking.

Keep walking.

Stay still!

Okay, you can go.

- What do you mean?

- I can handle this.

I'm not leaving you

alone with him.

He knows me,

he won't do anything.

He'll

I don't need you any more!

Go.

I'll be fine.

Right, Poyya?

You won't hurt me.

See? Docile as a leopard.

Get out.

State your full name.

You're back, doctor?

No, but I need help surveilling

a suspect in this case.

So speak to the

Wildlife Crime Control Bureau.

I have a contact there

who can help.

Shekhar? Yeah, he's great.

But it has to stay under your charge.

Can you call the suspect,

in your patented way?

You know, as a marketing expert,

I do enjoy my prize giveaways

but what's in it for me?

Come on, this could be

the biggest case of our careers.

- Don't make me beg.

- Fine.

But you better bring back

some banana halwa.

Done.

Ready?

- It's so late, where are we going?

- You'll see.

- Perfect.

- What's perfect?

- These are ideal conditions for them.

- For whom?

Why are we here? I've seen this

place a hundred times.

Not like this you haven't.

The boots are back here.

How will we see in

the pitch darkness?

What's this?

For a few weeks a year,

this happens here.

Come.

I'm not just a programmer.

I also deal with protection

and conservation.

And this is what I'm trying

to protect - the ecosystem.

There are some people

who would destroy it all

and I'm trying to catch them.

If we turn a blind eye towards them,

we're slowly committing suicide.

Why didn't you tell me?

It's better that you and John

don't know anything about it.

I work anonymously.

And Achala

the case I'm on now, is the

most important of my life.

And you have to trust me it's

as important to me

as our family is.

I understand. And if it's that

important, then I support you.

But you have to be honest

with me, don't hide anything.

Didn't your mother used to say that

the slow flame makes the best food?

I'll tell you everything, in time.

When it's safe.

And then you emerged from

the forest, carrying the tusks

and made the trip back up river.

And Raaz took the tusks,

to sell to Morris Finn.

Can you confirm this?

I remember you.

Of all the officers who arrested

me before, you were the nice one.

Tell me - where are

Ivan Das and Ravi Don?

Even if you manage to get

through me, there are 5 guys outside.

And I assure you

if you got away, all law enforcement

in India would be looking for you.

You'd never be able

to return home.

Ravi Don -

we never dealt with.

And I don't know

where Ivan Das is.

We all fled on our own,

after the first raids started.

What are you going

to do to me?

Still here?

No big deal, just wanted to

make sure you were okay.

I'm fine.

He claims he doesn't know

where any of the others are.

But he admits to poaching

elephants, like Aruku said.

So that's a start, we have

our first official poacher.

Sir!

Hey!

Let go of it!

It's a small puncture, nothing serious.

There's a first aid kit inside.

Where the hell did you get this?

It's harder to k*ll yourself

than you thought, isn't it?

No more hiding spots for you.

Are you okay?

- You were alone with him, he could have

- I'm fine!

Everyone's safe.

I'm going to wash this off.

Mala? What time is it?

- It's late, Ma.

- Are you okay?

Dear, what is it?

Ma

Ma, I almost died.

Ma I would have gone

leaving you all alone.

I'm sorry, Ma.

I'm sorry.