Beg Your Pardon

By ANANT JOSHI

This novel explores the conflict between ethical and corrupt practices, centring around Mr. Muralidhar, the protagonist who embodies integrity in a milieu of corrupt officials within the government coal mining company VCL (Vidarbha Coalfields Ltd.), headquartered in Amaravati city, Maharashtra, India. The coal mines span an area within a 300-kilometer radius of Amaravati.

The narrative unfolds as a Government Investigation Agency (GIA) launches a probe into three project officers at the mines for amassing unexplained wealth and assets beyond their known sources of income. The novel delves into their desperate attempts to extricate themselves from this predicament before the case reaches the chargesheet stage, resorting to various unscrupulous means.

Additionally, the story interweaves a secondary plot involving manipulations by a business family striving to secure the government coal block allocation for their profit-seeking ventures.

Amidst these thematic elements, the novel also explores themes of love and sexuality. This narrative unfolds against the backdrop of India's coal mining industry, a subject seldom explored in literarure.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ANANT JOSHI
• Release date: Sep 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223757771

Book preview

Beg your pardon

ANANT JOSHI

Published by ANANT JOSHI, 2023.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

BEG YOUR PARDON

First edition. September 11, 2023.

Copyright © 2023 ANANT JOSHI.

Written by ANANT JOSHI.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Beg   Your Pardon | By –Anant Joshi

DEDICATION

Dedicated to the memory of two revered    Anna,  I  called   them.

My father, Late Pandurang R. Joshi

My father-in-law, Late Gangadharrao K. Potey

Beg   Your Pardon

By –Anant Joshi

It was about 7.30 in the evening. Sir, there is a call from the MD’s office. The MD has called for you, said Sadasivan to Mr. K.  Murlidhar.

Mr.Murlidhar with the file on postings and his notepad  in a plastic folder, was on his way to the  second  floor  from  the first floor  to  the MD (Managing Director) Secretariat.  Mr.Shivdasan , Secretary  at  MD secretariat  requested  Mr.Murlidhar to wait for a while as Contractor Bawaja was in a meeting with the MD. The meeting  lasted for fifteen minutes. Mr.  Muralidhar met the Managing Director, who asked him sternly why there is a delay in the finalization of postings for such a long time.

Beg your pardon, sir, the file is ready, replied Murlidhar with alacrity as he handed the file over to the MD.

Your DA (Director Administration) has gone through the file, I hope.  MD said

He has made a noting for your approval, Sir.  said  Muralidhar

MD went through the file and asked. Hey, who is that person, for whom the MP (member of parliament) from Khandwa is recommending? He has called me up several times. Have you posted that fellow at the  Headquarters or not?

Yes, sir, we have posted him in the Production Department at the HQ, Sir.

Fine, but he was desiring sales department, said the MD

Beg your pardon, Sir, Mr. R P Singh, is very happy with this posting to HQ. He told me personally.

Well, I do not want any phone call from that Khandwa MP; he is quite a nuisance.

MD resumed reading the file. Murlidhar noticed that he was wearing a chocolate-brown safari suit that seemed to stretch tight over his potbelly. His face was puffed up and the tiny spectacles on his eyes were an amusing contrast to his rather heavy body frame and face.

MD approved, the file and handed it over to Mr. Murlidhar. As Murlidhar stood up to leave, MD asked if he had done anything about those officers who have been subject to the raid by the GIA. He wanted to know if their records have  been checked.

I have obtained their personal and confidential files Sir; I will do it. Said Mr. Muralidhar.

Do it fast the MD said.

Murlidhar realized the importance, as it was a government investigation Agency (GIA) matter.

The MDs office, from where Murlidhar emerged, was located on the second floor of the seven-story building. It was a plushest and the most attractive floor in the entire building. The color on the walls, the glass doors, the furniture, the artifacts, and the murals were all very beautiful. Mr.Murlidhar wondered if he could ever occupy this floor meant for the MD and the Director. He was at present, the General Manager (Administration)or simply put as, GM (A). To occupy this floor, he had to at least make it as DA, that is, Director (Administration). Then he realized that even as late as 7.30 pm, he was still in his office, facing the pressure of work. As Director, he would have to bear the tension all day long, without respite. He felt it was not worth it to hold such an ambition.

This seven-story structure belonged to a Public Sector Undertaking called Vidarbha Coalfields Ltd, or VCL in short. Located near the Maltekdi(hillock) in Amravati, a district place in Maharashtra state, in India. This tall structure and the VCL housing colony were conspicuous with the sprawling residential bungalows of the MD and four other directors. The bungalows of the GMs (General Manager) and the Chief Engineers also were located along-with the residential accommodation for the officers and other employees of the company.

The operational area of  the  VCL was  spread over Amravati, Wardha, Yeotmal districts of Maharashtra and Khandwa district in Madhya Pradesh. New deposits of coal were found at Melghat near Amravati and at Tipeshwar in Yeotmal district. For administrative purposes the coal fields were divided into eight Areas, each under a General Manager. At the headquarter there were two mining directors – Mining 1 and Mining 2 who were looking after four areas each.

Mr.Muralidhar was having a  height of 5’6" and a thin  body frame.  His face was oval in shape and nose straight and long. His lips thin and eyes medium, large, but sparkling. His hairs were thick and forehead elevated. His walk was medium pace only.

Mr. K Murlidhar’s full name was Murlidhar Kumar Jha. His father had retired as GM, from Neyvelli Lignite company, located in Tamil Nadu where Murlidhar did his schooling. In school his name was Murlidhar Kumar but according to south Indian customs it became Kumar Murlidhar or K. Murlidhar. Very often the K was omitted and written as Murlidharan making it sound like a Tamilian rather than a Bihari. Murlidhar knew many languages; he was fluent in Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, English and Maithili and could understand Marathi and Bengali as well. Being a multi-linguist was an additional asset at VCL as part of his job was to interact with several officers who hailed from different regions of India. Many a times this resulted in a personal bonding as Murlidhar was able to win the trust of any senior officer whose language he could speak. Likewise, he could win the confidence of his juniors by talking to  them in their mother-tongue. Murlidhar had nurtured this skill wisely.

Murlidhar wanted to go home, but the MD and the DA were still in their chambers and as per the protocol he could not leave till they left. When he left office, the sky was overcast with rain clouds. His wife Madhavi must have been waiting for him at home.

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Three hundred Kms. away from Murlidhar’s office, Mukutban Project was underway. This project was about thirty kms. away from Patanbori in Yeotmal District. Well planned  housing with all amenities was developed in the area. It also had a SHIVA temple for worshipping. The contribution for temple construction came from the contractors and marginally from the  workers. On the evening that Murlidhar sat in his office, Ammaji, who was the mother of Project Manager, Mr. Lunawat, was coming out of the temple. She always had a smile on her face as she distributed, Prasad, (sweets) to the devotees who accepted it with faith. But for the last about a week or so, she was looking disturbed and tense, which was sensed even by those who were getting, Prasad, from her.

Ammaji had been in a state of shock, fear, anxiety and nervousness since the GIA (Government Investigation Agency) raided bungalow seven days ago. She had sat through all it in a corner, horrified by all that terrible ransacking of the house, the tearing of mattresses, upsetting of kitchen utensils and checking of trunks and boxes. Now and then, her son brought her a glass of water or lemon juice (sherbet) to keep her calm. The officials confiscated all the cash and gold they found in the house, and did not spare even the gold chain and bangles that Ammaji wore on her person. She quietly had handed over these to them, without protest, saying that these were from her parents. The officials were demanding proper official invoices for every bit of gold they had seized.

When the officials took away her son for questioning, she cried in grief, with her arms around her daughter-in-law. Only solace for  her was that both her grandsons were away in boarding school at Nagpur, away from this humiliation. Her daughter-in-law consoled her that her son would be released on bail the next day; and rightly so, Mr. Lunawat was back home in 24 hours. He was not suspended.

Ammaji knew that her son was corrupt and that for the last ten-fifteen years he had been earning money by graft. She had tried to dissuade him from this, but he said that corruption was in the system, that he had to grease the palms of his seniors too, as a routine.

That evening when she returned home from the temple, there was a wet party at the bungalow with several officers enjoying their drinks. She quietly walked into her bedroom and began telling her beads, muttering to herself and weeping. When she felt hungry, she got herself a small roti and a little butter in a plate and ate her food listlessly. It was a long time before she finally went off to asleep.

The next day after a bath, she as usual went to the temple at 9am. Coming out of the sanctum, she began to distribute Prasad of small sugar cubes(mishri). A little boy extended his hand to accept the Prasad but his mother pulled it back saying," Do not accept, prasad, from the mother of a thief."  Ammaji was shaken. She got back to the bungalow and cried inconsolably in her room, venting out her frustration and rage. She calmed down after a while.

Her daughter-in-law questioned and asked, Won’t you have some breakfast?

No, I am not hungry, I’ll have it later. she said.

At about 11 AM, the daughter in law told Ammaji that she was going to the ladies’ club and that the lunch was laid  out on the dining table. She could have her food when she felt hungry. Ammaji answered affirmatively.

Retracing her steps, the daughter-in-law peeped into her room and asked, Aren’t you feeling well?  She felt Ammaji’s hand for any hint of a fever. Then she offered to send for a doctor. But Ammaji declined and asked her to be on her way to the club.

After the daughter-in-law had departed, Ammaji sat down for a while. She suppressed the feeling of hunger. Then she walked into the storeroom. Although the house had LPG cylinders, there was a stock of coal for large-scale cooking and some kerosene to light the coal. She managed to pull out the can of kerosene from the stack of huge hobs and utensils. Then she fetched a box of matchsticks from the, pooja,room(worship  room). She sat for a long time in front of the deity, tears running down her cheeks. Returning to her bedroom, she began to muster up courage for what she was about to do, she invoked the name of Lord, Srikrishna, again and again. Then she sprinkled her body with kerosene and started chanting Srikrishna, Srikrishna, Gopala, Gopala. Pulling out a matchstick, she struck it and set herself ablaze.......

The sentry at the main door was having a chat with the security guard of the managers’ bungalow. They were interrupted by loud screams coming from the house. They could see wisps of smoke too. The screams increased as they rushed in. They doused Ammaji with water. In the meantime, They contacted Mr.Lunawat ,who immediately rushed  back  home and  shifted  her  to  the  hospital  where  she  breathed  her  last  after  struggling  for  life  for  two  hours .A pal  of  gloom  spread  all  over  due  to  the  incident.

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Aarni  project  was at 200 Kms away from  Amravati HQ of VCL. Mr Ramakant Dighe, project officer had attended the funeral of Mr. Lunavat’s mother, as they were good friends. The following day being Saturday was a club day. Being a connoisseur of liquor, he was a heavy drinker and enjoyed long sessions wherein he had a variety of bites too much as like chicken, mutton, French fries, fried fish, etc. That evening he told his wife to prepare fried fish and also a heavy dinner. The liquor he would consume, generally came from the contractors, who wanted to keep him happy for obvious reasons. After dinner, he went to the bedroom with his arms around his wife’s waist. 

I did not fully enjoy my drinks today, he said to his wife.

And why so? asked Sheela.

Because I didn’t have your company; you just ate that potato curry, No beer, No chicken!

"It’s Ekadashi today (day of half fasting and eating vegetarian food)

Why the hell it had to be on Saturday, said Dighe reproachfully.

By the way, Lunawat must have got a shock with yesterday’s incident, isn’t it? said Sheela, changing the topic

Let’s not talk about those painful things now. Hmm.... but it’s true that when the GIA raid was conducted on the three of us, we never thought such an incident would take place.

You are right, said Mrs. Dighe.

Dighe tried to get physically intimate with her but She brushed it aside.

O.K. Let’s only talk for a while, said Dighe. Hasn’t Reena called today?

No tomorrow is Sunday, and she will call tomorrow.   said  Mrs.  Dighe

That’s right, agreed Dighe.

Thank God she is in London, or this raid matter would have upset her terribly, said Sheela.

OH, no She is grown up now and it won’t affect her so much. said Dighe

But what about the image she has of you as an ideal father? Surely it would have been damaged?   said Mrs.  Dighe

Well, these days grown-up children are well aware of what their parents are doing. Dighe replied.

Moreover, she is studying Law, she will surely come to know how legitimate all such  dealings are!

If she doesn’t call tomorrow, we will give her a ring, said Dighe nonchalantly.

Alright, said Sheela.

Once again, Dighe tried to be intimate and this time Sheela had to submit herself to his lust.

Sunday though a holiday, Mr. Dighe would visit the coalmine. They had received a call from their daughter early in the morning. She had passed her semester exam with good marks. Both had been delighted and had heaped all the praises on her. They asked if she needed some money to be remitted to her account, which she refused and said that she had enough in her account to last the whole year.

Just as Dighe was about to leave to the coal field, he received a phone call. He could not recognize the voice at the other end and hence asked who the person was.

I am Deshmukh speaking.

Who? Asked Mr. Dighe

Dr.  Vaishali Deshmukh is my wife, came the reply.

OK. Well, what can I do for you? enquired Mr. Dighe

Sir, could I get an appointment this evening?

Today is Sunday Dighe answered.

,,Yes ,,Mr. Deshmukh said, Sir It’s a personal matter and  I would like to meet you at your residence if you have no other engagement .

Waiting for a while Ummm....OK. Come over for a cup of tea at 5.30pm. with your wife.

OK. Thank you, Sir, said Deshmukh.

Dighe was on his way to the mine in a jeep. It was an opencast mine and yielded eleven lakh tons of coal annually. 

The mine was deep. The coal deposits were at a depth of 70 feet. To reach the coal deposits, the soil layer over the coal has to be cleared first. This layer of soil above the coal is called ‘overburden’ in mining parlance. The overburden is removed by clearing the soil in step by  step of 20-20 feet height, by three benches.

The bench formation was done  with the help  of drilling  and blasting  in the benches. When  the drilling and blasting is done soil gets loose and then it could be easily handled  by shovels or excavators. The drilling, blasting  is done in the coal also for easy excavation. 

The access to the uppermost step or bench and to the one below it is at the surface itself. The approach road to the lowermost bench of overburden is at the bottom. Each of the benches are30-40 feet wide. Dighe always paid attention to the top bench to ensure that it was 50 -60 feet wide. He had learned this mining technique from a ‘’ mining guru’’. But nowadays, half the soil would be cleared by the contractor himself. To extract 11 lakh tons of coal, about 35 lakh cubic meters of soil have to be cleared away. The contractor had been allotted ‘B’ block of this mine for development. Dighe visited this block first. The site manager, Mr. Rao came forward to meet him. You are on duty on Sunday too? asked Mr. Dighe 

Rao replied, I knew you were coming Sir, so I had to be present.

The contractor was name Anurag Reddy from Andhra Pradesh. He had worked on several contracts in this and in the  neighboring areas. He owned Leyland tippers and three Poklan machines, each equipped with 2.5cubic meter buckets. But he had to hire bulldozers and drills whenever needed from VCL. The Bulldozer operators and drill operators on VCL roll were eager to work for the contractor as they got plenty of on money there. Their machine log-books recorded only four hours of work even if they had put in six or seven hours. The contractor would provide diesel for the extra hours of work. Sometimes, the operators manipulated their official logbooks and saved some diesel if they were assured of the work by the contractor. But often, the quite contractor would supply the diesel for the extra hours of work because the company would include in his bill half-day rental for the drill and bulldozer. Contractor Reddy was to purchase a dozer and drill very soon. He had recently hired a dozer and a drill on rent from an irrigation contractor in Andhra Pradesh. But because of high transportation costs and operators’ airs, he found his deal with the government undertaking more convenient.

Dighe assessed that the contractor’s work was satisfactory. He left for the company site and looked at the top bench of the digging site. It was the breakfast interval for operating staff. The workmen were atop the machines carrying out maintenance. All the dumpers were sent to the workshop for refueling. He thought it might be a good idea to start the morning shift at 8am instead of 6 am, for which he had to take the Workers’ Union into confidence first.

After taking the look around, he went down straight to the coal level, and found the manager, Banerjee, and the mechanical engineer, Ramesh, at work. The Poklan machine had developed a snag.

He asked them if there was any  problem.

A minor one, Sir. The bucket-pin is broken, we are welding another pin onto it and the production work will resume soon after the tea-break.

What about the other Poklan? When will you get its hydraulic pump? queried Dighe.

Ramesh replied, Just yesterday I spoke with the GM(Mechanical). The supply order has been placed. Can I ask a favor of you, Sir?

What is it?

Could you speak to the GM(Mech) once? Or, request our area GM to speak to him?

O.K. I’ll see what I can do. Are we short of dumpers today?

"Today being a