Pen portrait UPG

 

 

                              There was this Lalit Mohan Gautam who when contested election to students union went around publicizing himself as LMG (Light Machine Gun)  to his opponents. The protagonist of our story is UPG (Upgraded Powered Gun). He was in my office, a brilliant mathematics post graduate he was working as an Office Superintendent. All this is inconsequential to our story. UPG was above all these mundane designations or for that matter the conservative office hierarchy. For his sheer smartness, resourcefulness and capacity to grasp office Rules & Regulations he was associated with most of the prestigious assignments of the office. During one such assignments i.e. recruitment of physical handicapped quota (fancy words like differently abled and Divyang were yet to enter the lexicon) he met a girl candidate, well off, in possession of a few properties at prime locations.  Having acquired substantial educational qualifications she was looking for a worthwhile job to impart meaning to her life. UPG assured her that he would definitely get her selected. To cut the long story short, she got selected; UPG was a great support in new office and new town. In months to come she came ‘close’ to UPG. There was this twist, UPG was already married with two kids. But by then UPG had come to realize the net worth of this girl. He convinced his wife, mother of his two kids for a amicable paper divorce and to sweeten the deal he transferred the ownership of his big house to her divorced wife. He got married to this girl and with liberal help from his new wife bought a spacious love-nest.  UPG was full of rather overflowing energy, though most of it was channelized towards his mischievous and dishonest adventures. He was tall dark bespectacled not so handsome but he compensated that with his sharp ready wit. 

 

Life was hunky dory

 

Knowing his misadventures once his officer asked him how he did all this.  UPG replied “Sir next selection after you have interviewed the candidates, just handover the selection files to me as soon as you come out of the Board Room. I will not open any file nor would I recommend any candidate but will make my moolah”

The officer was perplexed “how on earth was that possible?”  UPG guffawed “I take the contract of entire selection, thus, my ‘dealers’ collect money from all those interested. No sooner the news spreads which gets translated to greater clientele. Those who are selected their money is pocketed and those who are not, their money is refunded” of course, in easy installments often spread over to years as he also ran a money lending racket. 

 

In his spare time he will read thrillers and detective novels which helped his evil mind to discover newer schemes. As the tricksters who get caught these days admit that they got the idea from crime serials mushroomed on television. He will get his accomplices to even indulge in eve teasing and then appear as Robin Hood all for a handsome protection fee in cash or kind.

 

It was rumored that his new wife would invite office girls to her house and entertain them to sleazy films on her VCR, a big deal in 1980s.  I was amused no end when in a wedding function I spotted UPG sporting a boa (tie) rather unusual site in an obscure wedding ceremony of even more obscure town. But that was UPG – always a game and always unique at it.

 

Once he came to me with seemingly a good welfare scheme.. He said “Sir! Let us inform employees what all their data is with us in our record and in case there is anything missing or they want to supplement they can tell us” Office keeps vital details of employees e.g. Name, Date of birth, Qualifications, Permanent address, Marital status, Last promotion, Rate of pay/pay scale/basic pay, names of family members etc. in what is called Personal dossier. Employee would come to know of their updated data and if any correction/change is required they will bring to our notice and we will rectify.  Fresh from management school I was impressed and gladly gave my Go Ahead. Next day UPG was on the job, with his team of half a dozen young girls and boys.

 

Much later the evil design behind the scheme was brought to my notice. UPG purposely intimated incorrect data to the employees. Now employees were after UPG to get their data corrected. UPG obliged after much goading and at a fee. (No correction was involved as the record was correct; it was only the letter, which had ‘error’) It was only the format in which UPG had played his game, it was neither in his handwriting nor signed by him...oh those boys and girls. UPG’s explanation was Sir! It was the very purpose of the scheme to rectify and when we are doing this massive exercise for thousands of employees some error creeping in cannot be ruled out” People say he made good amount of money from the employees whose record he purported to have corrected. They knew the importance of office record esp. on the occasion of transfer/promotion and retirement benefits including the pension. That was no all he had taken hefty amount from the parents of those boys and girls engaged for a brief duration in the name of getting them permanent Govt. jobs. 

 

Once, UPG entered a wager with another local goon. Wager was leave alone getting any work done; the goon cannot visit office without UPG’s knowledge. Sure enough when this local goon came to plead for a favorable decision in some case, UPG came on scene. The goon lost the wager. Little did he know UPG had already asked the staff to inform him pronto as soon as this goon is seen.  Most of the office peons and staff were in debt of UPG. 

 

We had this Credit and Thrift Coop Bank. Office used to conduct election for its sole Director every three years. The Director was empowered to sanction loans etc. A sizeable capital was at the disposal of the Director for investment purposes. The electorates were employees only. First time the town came to know there was such a Bank thanks to UPG who was contesting for Director. Banners, oversized hoardings and posters were put all over, as the saying goes the town was painted red. It was said that he tried to bribe the opponent a sitting Director of ten years standing to withdraw from the fray.  Sitting Director proved hard nut to crack. UPG lost the election with a narrow margin. When people sympathized with UPG he simply laughed it away, later it was revealed that his entire election was funded by few persons as the Director was empowered to engage two boys during his tenure who are eventually made permanent Govt. employees. 

Magnum opus:  UPG opened a Coaching Instt. in his first wife’s name at a prime location in the town. The opening was done with a great pomp and show. The stated objective of the Instt. was to coach young boys and girls for various exams of Central and State Govt. Aspirants queued up. Reason UPG whispered to them “I will get you the Question Paper a day in advance and rest will be taken care of. The queue grew longer and longer. The Coaching Centre in reality became just a Collection Centre. UPG collected lakhs of rupees from each candidate. A real big undisclosed sum got collected through the cronies of UPG.

 

Come the D day and ‘drunken’ UPG went to the strong room guarded by two cops 24X7. UPG asked them to open the strong room as he has to ensure everything was in order. Cops immediately took UPG in custody and announced to one and all that UPG has confessed to all his gory deals and now Police are looking for his accomplices and all those who paid him money after all offering bribe too is a crime. All he aspirants fled and went underground. It was later revealed that ths was planned with cops playing their part in consideration of a handsome measure of grease on their palms.

 

UPG after two days in ‘lock up’ was seen roaming around busy city market in a pedal rickshaw. People discussed as to how severe beating of third degree continuously for two days in lock up had affected both his body & brain. For next one week this became a routine sight, UPG in a pedal rickshaw going round and round in the market. People were convinced that UPG has gone mad due to beatings he received during interrogation. To make his case foolproof UPG had already managed a medical prescription certifying that UPG is undergoing psychiatric treatment for the last six months.

 

Those who were cheated of their hard earned money, all were not meek, frightened and convinced. They insisted for refund and threatened UPG of dire consequences. Hearing the news of his bravado the Investigation Agency also did not sit quiet. How can anyone do this big a scam without their ‘knowledge’.  Promptly a raid was conducted in the premises of UPG. Sadly, they found nothing incriminating leave alone any traces of black money. The team returned red faced and empty handed. In fact UPG had got the news of raid an hour in advance, enough for him to transfer the ‘suitcase’ to his friend’s house to be taken back when the chase got cold.

 

Meanwhile the ones who insisted for refund ganged up against UPG. They will confront UPG several times a day and at odd hous to make sure he was at home. Soon they stated carrying out their threats. Punching him, abusing him,, slapping him  and beating him in his own house before his family.

 

UPG thought it was time to return some money to all and all money to some. He went to his friend to recover his ‘suitcase’ only to find the house locked and friend gone forever, without a trace.

 

UPG committed suicide.

 

A precious life wasted and so many lives destroyed including of his own family members.

 

P. S.

 

People said UPG married this new girl for HER property but destiny willed it otherwise it was she who got HIS property including the pensionary benefis.