Free kick

                                                FREE KICK

As we all knew, Debda played soccer for Manchester United. This was the semi - final match of the league and thus we all went to see him. Along with me were Saakshi, Ravi, Bikram, Chootu and Aditya. It was almost ninety minutes of the game when the commentator barked out that somebody had done a foul of Manchester City. On seeing closely, I could make it out that it was a penalty. Already, the score was 3-2 where Manchester united scored three goals. It was a crucial moment for the fans of Manchester United but the fans of Manchester City have sat back in dismay. The penalty was taken by M. George. As we all knew, George was a very good goal scorer who scored a goal from 117m away from the goal post. But when the penalty was taken, George’s shoot made the ball fly away from the goal post away at the side lines. It was of no use saying George “missed by an inch”. But then when the throw was taken, the whistle blew and the game was over.

      After the game was over, I saw Debda went to George and talk to him. But I could not make it out for the distance. So I left the field with all others. We then all went back home. Next day, when I reached the coffee house, I found Debda was busy over a football. I even saw his friend, ACP Abhishek Pandey, sitting beside him and saying him something. I went up to them and joined in the conversation. I heard Abhishek say, “Whom do you suspect for this?”

      This question shocked me a little. I asked them, “What has happened?”

“Dimitri, do you remember yesterday’s game? Do you remember how George missed the penalty kick?”

“Yes! Yes!! So what? I hope you will not open a case on that. It is a case that the Manchester United will hold.”

“Not that! You see if you are left to kick a penalty kick, you can at least shoot at the goal post, not even knowing how to play football. But he, being a part of the Manchester United team cannot shoot.”

“He could be in some in mental distress. Probably…”

“I asked him about it yesterday on the field. His reply was ‘Debda, in front of me, when I was kicking, the ground roamed a whole of ninety degrees.’ But the question arises, how is it possible?”

“I think his blood pressure increased.” suggested Pandey.

“But his all types of tests were taken after that. And no trace of either blood pressure or sugar diabetes was found.” Debda answered.

“So what do you think?” I asked.

“You know, yesterday, Richard even said that his head was roaming when he was tackling the ball in front of the goal post.”

“It could be a co-incidence, probably!” Pandey suggested.

“I don’t think so! If it could be so, then why it didn’t happen to anyone else except our two strikers? It could even happen to me, as I was also a striker.”

“But there is one point, Debda; you didn’t have luck to get the ball under your control since you scored the first goal before half – time.” Pandey said.

“Great discovery Abhishek! That like my friend” exclaimed Debda and continued, “If you think so then it makes a sense that the ball had something to do with it. I have called George for more details because I think I must speak to him about it.”

“Here he comes.” I said in a little cheerful voice.

“Hello George. Why are you so sad?” Pandey asked.

“Mr.Pandey, Manchester United has suspended me. They say that they don’t need such a player who cannot even shoot a penalty, but can send it to the side lines.” George said.

“George, say the truth! What were your feelings when you were hitting the ball?” Debda inquired.

“As I said you earlier, the whole ground revolved ninety degrees in front of me.” replied George.

“And they say that they don’t believe on your words. Am I correct or am I correct!” Debda said.

“Yes, you are correct.” George said in reply.

“What about the ball you were playing with just now in your hand?”

“Yesterday, when I asked the authority to give me the match ball, they gave me this ball. But to my astonishment, before the play Wayne Rooney signed the ball. But this ball doesn’t carry his signature.” said Debda in the conversation.

“Probably, the signature could have been rubbed over by the mud” I said.

“Then, I think, there should have been mud present on the ball.“ said Debda and continued, “but there was no mud present on the ball when it was given to me on the field. I think something’s wrong going around.”

“Let’s go and investigate it.” said Pandey.

      We got hold of a cab and went to the club ground. Along with us was George. Debda first went inside the club and talked to the management and security. Then he motioned us to come inside. Inside, nobody took notice to George, but was busy talking with Debda and Pandey. When Pandey mentioned about the experience of George, the authority said “ And you believe his words! ACP Debayush, I thought you were an intelligent police officer. But you went on with the words of that fraud.”

“No Mr. Alan, I think we should inspect over it. Yesterday, when I asked you for the match ball, you gave me a different ball. Why?”

“How can you say such big words against me, Debda.”

“Where is the match ball?” Debda asked seriously.

“I gave you!” said Mr. Alan.

“Then where is Mr. Rooney’s signature?” Debda asked.

“I don’t know. I gave you the ball which was given to me by Herbert. He is my personal assistant. May I call him?” said Mr. Alan.

“No! Tell me from when is he with you?” Pandey asked.

“Here about from two years.”

“Give me his bio – data.”

“Yes Debda.”

      We took the file and went back to the house of George. There we saw the file. It recorded the following:-

Name – Herbert Harrison

Age – 37 years

Earlier Occupation – N/A

Description – Hair – curly brown

                        Height – 6’ 1”

                        Body – well build

                        Eyes – Big and Blue

                        Speaking accent – American English

Seeing it, Debda said both to me and Pandey to go back to our hotel. Next morning when I came back to George’s house, I found Debda was already out for the morning. I asked George for it, but he said that Debda left before he was awake. We waited for him at George’s house. At afternoon 12 o’ clock, Debda came back. He was carrying a page with him. When Pandey asked him for it, he replied,” This is the result of my sneaking in the Manchester City’s manager’s office”

      He showed the page. It was written:-Bio – Data of John Shanmugavel.

Age – 37 years

Earlier Occupation – N/A

Description – Hair – curly brown

                        Height – 6’ 1”

                        Body – well build

                        Eyes – Big and Blue

                        Speaking accent – American English

“Do you remember who has such description?” Debda asked.

“Yes, it’s Herbert.” We all cried together.

“Absolutely. And today Manchester city have a match with Chelsea. He will be present there today so as to lose Chelsea”

“But how’s that possible?”

“Yesterday I found the friends of the John. They informed me that John has betted with them that Manchester City would win. He is a worker of Manchester city. Thus he had to bet on his team. But unfortunately, this year, Manchester City didn’t play as well as they play other years. Thus he had to weaken opponent team’s players. That is why he did some of his tactics.”

“What tactics?” asked Pandey.

“He had set a ….. Taxi … stadium please… yes, a radio transmission device. This device gives off radio – active waves and is controlled by a remote. On that day when the ball went to the side – line, after the seventy-sixth minute, John changed the original ball with the radio – active ball. After the penalty was given, he left radio – active waves with his remote. That was why George missed the goal chance. After the game was over, when I asked for the ball, he, by mistake, gave me the wrong ball. And today he will even try the same tactics, because it’s the knock out match. But we have to stop him.”

      We reached the stadium. While Debda paid the bill of the taxi, Pandey informed the guards outside the stadium and then went to the CCTV room. We went to the gallery. I couldn’t notice where John was. But before me, George shouted at him. At it, he was feared and he started running.

      George, I, and Pandey ran after him. But because of a big jump, we couldn’t catch him. But soon Debda was behind him and within seconds, Debda had his hand on his neck. After that he told Pandey to describe the case to police and he went back home.

        The following day was the final match : Manchester United v/s Chelsea. Both the teams played well but for a foul, Chelsea was defeated at 1-0. When Debda was back to the coffee house, I described him as the winners.

                                          THE END