Mystery of the missing laptop

Sherlock? Indeed, prove it man!!

It was drizzling slightly and I was feeling slightly sleepy but Sheeja and family were prodding me on to tell the next mystery. It was stupid of me to have got a bit hurt when my wife got irritated about my viewing Sherlock series. I dug myself into a hole by saying I had always loved and wanted to be a detective.

I further dug it deeper into an inescapable pit by saying about my past exploits where in I had done a bit of detection myself. I made it worse by telling along with my detection and my favouritism for Sherlock saw some friends call me jokingly as Sherlock Giri. So in a moment of weakness and ego I told one of the mysteries also. Who would have thought they would be interested!!!

Now they were after me for more after hearing the first one☹

City of Friends, Nizam and biriyani

“Hyderabad - City of pearls, bangles, biriyani, Charminar, Golconda, Salar Jung and Nizam. Opulence, richness and cultural diversity from one end of the city to other ranging from the Telugu food to Mughlai and from the Telugu super stars to the artisans of Old city” I began and suppressed a yawn.

“I was still working in company Truth Systems :). It was year 2004. It was my 5th IT company and job and I was into pure consulting. So initially I had not much travel then it became really hectic almost like 6-7 months every year I was outside India. Coming back to the office environment and colleagues, I had the privilege of sitting between two lady body guards :) Literally they were my friends, guides and elder sisters. I have told you about Dhanam and Parwathi right Shee? Amma knows them and met them also. Two great ladies, they were so helpful, kind and in my opinion the very epitome of Mother Goddess.” I paused and then felt mischievous.

“I still reiterate if they were my age and unmarried I would never have remained bachelor long :)” I said.

“O Yea it could have saved me from you” said a slightly angry Sheeja.

I laughed and said “Cool Shee, I love them as much as I love my sister or rather more. But this is not only about friends I am talking about a mystery here. Let us get on with the story. It was my second year in Company T and in consulting. I had returned from an onsite stint of 10 weeks in Europe across Germany, Austria and Belgium.”

“This story happened in 2004 end of the year if I remember correctly. By then my friend, sister and mentor Parwathi had left for Canada and two new ladies were there to take care of her portfolio. Executive Assistant to Head of consulting role was handled by Sindhu and again by sheer coincidence she was also from Kerala like Parwathi. The other half of Parwathi’s responsibility was taking care of resource coordination role and the new person who took that over was Sunita. It is funny how we take people for granted. When Parwathi was there no one knew anything about these. Everything was smooth and no one really recognized the system and effort taken to keep it running smooth by Parwathi. But once she left every one missed her☺”

I remembered my first meetings with both the ladies and my feeling of fun at the initial difficulties every including the two gals faced as they struggled to manage with the same efficiency and smoothness. Parwathi was an all in all and very capable and competent person. To top it off she was very compassionate and practical.

A combination of characteristics, which is very difficult to achieve without years of experience and maturity and above all one needed a character so attuned to humaneness. I sat back and stifled one more yawn and continued.

A crashed laptop

“This story started with head of consulting Mr. Gupta’s crashed laptop. I remember I was working on some proposal for a client in telecom sector in Europe and was working with the sales support team. They sat right next to Sindhu so I could hear Sindhu calling systems support frantically following the old what not (Gupta) making a rare fuss.” I was remembering the old character.

“Anyway he never did any work as far as I could remember while I was there, but still a Senior Vice President is a big shot in any company, if he is also a Director board member then double trouble for all beneath his chain of command. And he was a character who was very self-important. So along came the systems guys rushing over with a new laptop.” I continued the story.

Sheeja interrupted me rudely as she was still not happy at my earlier attempt of humour ☺

“How did you know it was a new laptop? Did systems show you warranty and bill” Sheeja asked.

“How did I know it was new? Simple it was still packed :) It was not taken to Gupta who had gone to lunch so it was delivered to Sindhu who signed and took it on the big man’s behalf. As I was sitting right near her working on the proposal I saw it. If it was me or any one below VP level the systems team would make us wait at least 3-5 days before they even acted and then also they would issue an old laptop never a new one and we should go and collect it from where they sat. No deliveries to desk for small people like ordinary consultants :)”

I laughed sarcastically thinking about the most immature management practices and culture of the so called advanced industry called Information Technology. It was still in Stone Age if not ice age for culture, managerial ethos and professionalism☺. Not to mention the sheer bureaucracy and hierarchy minded culture.

Shee also laughed as we had our share of such treatment and attitude from our IT jobs in the past working in the so called bigger name IT companies. We preached to our clients but never practiced☺.

“So the IT support group guys, ISG as they were called, came unpacked and issued a handwritten temporary tag with temporary asset id and number. Every laptop or PC or electronic equipment were assets and such tagged and recorded in asset register with a pass assigning the owner and id. Without which the asset cannot be issued or used. It definitely cannot be taken out. So on behalf of Mr. Gupta Senior VP and head of consulting Sindhu signed the asset receipt and took it to give it to the great man when he arrived” I had no great feelings of respect or admiration for him to be honest as I explained a bit sarcastically.

“Unlike the usual process, it was not yet entered in asset register so they said they will issue a temporary id once Mr. Gupta came and was ready to take the laptop out. They will not enter in the system and once he accepts it the temporary hand written id will be issued immediately. Gupta was going to use this as a temporary laptop, as he will return it once his laptop he got back after repairs.” I explained some more to my family.

“Issuing a permanent id will be unnecessary hassles and it will be even worse to cancel it without a resignation. The ISG guys had explained this to Sindhu. That was mistake number one Gupta never accepted it nor was asset entry completed nor was register updated nor was id issued with laptop mapping. Worse nor did they collect it back and Sindhu also did not take it upon her to return it. But I am jumping the gun let me go through the events as it happened.” I paused to recollect for a moment the exact events.

““I was listening to all this and told Sindhu afterwards “One thing I liked was the resignation part you can do that and relieve the fellow out of here and our profit will increase minimum 10%.” Sindhu laughed at it then. Meanwhile ISG group was doing initial set up work like OS installation, required software setup and profile creation etc”

I yawned widely this time and I was surprised that it was not followed by a contagious yawn from Sheeja even. I never thought this was so exciting ☺ Everyone were eagerly listening unlike when I am trying to get them to do some things for the upkeep of our house.

So I continued “There were times I felt processes were more pain than useful, even though I am an IT consultant and QA evangelist. SO the ISG guys did the OS installation and profile creation etc and rest of the basic tools then told Sindhu to contact them if Gupta needed anything. They left promising to return by evening with temporary gate pass and id once Sindhu called and informed of Gupta’s arrival.”

I sat more comfortably and took a sip from my glass of water which I had asked Sheeja to get me as I stopped the narration for a few seconds to wash my face as I was feeling really sleepy. Now with the sudden summer shower cooling things and atmosphere slightly humid it was feeling heavy.

Megalomania

I started off in a very tangential way☺. ““I have been considered outspoken and I have lived up to it many times. In this case I had reacted by asking Sindhu “Who does he think he is?" I was outraged. Reason: Mr. Gupta flew into a rage on seeing the new laptop. “This is not laptop this is junk, tell them to get me the small sleek new ones not these old dabba boxes" he was sarcastic.””

“You see” I explained to my parents who had no idea what I was talking about laptop and dabbas, “In old times like 90’s laptops weighed around 7-12 kilos, then it came to 5 kilo range and the 2000s saw sleek laptops which could fit into a satchel. Very sleek very pricey. So Sr VP level they were issuing such pricey items and Gupta’s crashed laptop was one such”

“So Sindhu had called ISG and the systems team, poor guys, said that sleek ones were specially ordered for VP level and stock needs to come. So Mr. Gupta left office saying when his laptop is repaired or new proper replacement happens to inform him and he will come to office.” I sat back still feeling my rage and even now I felt a desire to do some unparliamentarily acts or words to that old so and so.

“There is a reason for my response to the megalomania of corrupted powerful big shots. We the hard working consultants, who suffered several problems to deliver the millions, had to share or on rotation basis had to use outdated, old and slow laptops. Imagine this, we were charging customers USD 100-250 per hour and we do not get a laptop full time. Even those we had were minimum 1 year old and some even as old as 4-5 years. And here was an SVP throwing tantrums because he did not get his heart’s desire among the priciest laptops!!”

I think my fury was not yet fully gone over the injustice of it all even after so many years. It did one thing at least it woke me up fully and I was more alert and focused.

Oh I could tell more stories about the old so and so how he conducted a party for his grand daughter’s birthday and invited the whole consulting team and claimed it as team party from the company. While his entire family and friends and relatives who were not company employees were there in larger numbers. He was a cunning and unscrupulous so and so old sod.

I did not think this was the occasion as everyone was impatient for the stories than the ethics and moral discussion or about human decencies or values or professionalism.

Missing laptop!!

I gathered myself together and calmed down taking another sip of water from my glass.

Then I continued “Well time passed, for a change I was not travelling for couple of months I was told. And so I was enjoying peace working on some internal ambitious packages and some more proposals. Couple of weeks of meetings - planning strategy and operations; where I slept openly, much to everyone’s amusement” I grinned.

“Oh you still do it when I am talking” said Sheeja.

“That is because both the meetings and your talk started on strategic or important things and then deteriorated to unimportant trivial things. My sleep became so much of a litmus test that if I did not sleep it was considered a successful meeting :)” I continued.

Sheeja made a face at me and I laughed.

I remembered something and felt sad as I continued “There were some of the senior level folks getting relocated and promoted as some other senior level folks had left the company in EU and US. So one guy called Hemant from Bangalore got promoted and was going to US. Another guy called Sadhu was going to take over EU but he was to be based in Bangalore and travel frequently between EU and Hyderabad the command centre.”

“Sadhu was to be my future Boss and was getting promoted himself. They were over in Hyderabad from Bangalore and in meetings with SVP Mr. Gupta and more with Mrs. Prameela Ravi our VP and operations head. They were being briefed on the new role, responsibilities, expectations and commitments expected.”

I felt a bit sad remembering that Sadhu was no more. Sadhu was a bright and ambitious man who was my Boss for a long while. He was a fitness freak but at the same time he was a beer drinker and chain smoker. In Europe in winter also he would jog in the morning even if it was in negative temperatures or snowing. At home in India he would daily play badminton. But still smoke 2-4 cigarettes an hour minimum. Even in a blizzard in USA or Europe he would still go out stand in the cold and smoke.

I was silent for a minute remembering some other stories which were not a part of these but maybe a story worth telling about human character. Now is not the time I thought and gathered myself back into the story we were discussing.

I resumed speaking “Since they had no seats as they were not from Hyderabad location they were sitting in conference rooms or in Mr. Gupta’s cabin. Mr. Gupta anyway would be travelling on various pretexts to various places around the globe so his cabin was empty most times and now with the laptop crashed he was not at all present so it did not matter in the least. So they were spending more time in his cabin.”

“So it was a week of meetings and then Hemant and Sadhu went back to Bangalore. Hemant travelled to US next week. Sadhu was organizing his team and I was his key trouble shooter as he used to call me and his go to man for trouble. I was the man to help him set up the team, recruit, train and take the fresh guys to onsite and carry them through safely in a client engagement and develop them to be confident consultants. These new guys were those who can later run engagements themselves were the plan. We were in touch on daily basis over proposals, resourcing, recruitment and planning key account management” I remembered sadly those heady days of achievement.

Our first multi million deal and second in our group both came under our watch. How power corrupts was a story of Sadhu literally. I felt sad as I remembered the change to Sadhu afterwards. In the end what he achieved, aged in mid 30’s he is no more.

I was recalled from my sad moment by Sheeja who was poking me as she also knew the stories. So she had an idea I might be reliving those memories and she wanted to pull me back before it affected my whole thoughts and mood.

I pulled myself back from those memories and shook my head to literally clear it and continued the narrative “I was sitting in my bay as usual when I saw Sindhu come out of Gupta’s cabin looking all shaken looking scared and ready to cry. I got up and went to her; she was trembling almost collapsing in her seat. I went to her but looked at the old so and so’s cabin and found it empty. That puzzled me I had assumed the worst that the old man might have scolded her or worse, maybe misbehaved”

““Hey Sindhu saw Gupta’s ghost? But he is still alive naa?” I was joking with Sindhu to calm her. She looked at me and said “Giri, the laptop is missing". It did not register to me which laptop and from where. She might have recognized my lack of comprehension.””

““She clarified "Giri you remember you got angry about the laptop Gupta sir called dabba? It was locked in his cabin in the left cupboard. Today systems wanted to take it back and I went to security got the cabin key and opened the cupboard and that laptop is missing."” Well I thought now starts the fun.

I told my family ““I was not inclined to take it seriously so I tried to pacify her. “It might be in another cupboard or drawer, there are 2-3 different locked furniture right?" I tried to calm her. Sindhu is a slightly simple person and has the habit of misplacing things.””

““No Giri I checked every cupboard (there were 3, privileges of SVP role was a huge cabin and Gupta was one of the oldest employees who had the ear of the CEO and Chairman) and all the three half cupboards (normally 1 per person but again privilege :)). It is not in the cabin"” well I could see my family looking at me disappointedly. After all a missing laptop from a room is the big deal??

Come on Sherlock!!

I could not help laugh loudly oh they still do not know the web is so tangled I thought.

So I proceeded with the narration. “Well do not look so disappointed it will unravel into a good story and mystery. Well here was the mystery let me outline the difficulties of the mystery. For a start there is the locked cabin that too in most walked about area, surrounded by at least 80 odd people. The next factor - the cabin is kept locked and the key issued by security only to Gupta or Sindhu, even housekeeping activities are done only with security present. Add to it locked cupboard, but one catch the cupboard key is kept in Gupta’s drawer number one which is locked and kept by Sindhu. No sunshade or windows that can be opened”

“"Sindhu the drawer key is with you or..?" I asked. "Yes Giri it is with me" she replied. Further more every laptop is checked by security (not too closely) but at least they open bag and if they see laptop they ask for laptop id where name and employee number, laptop asset number is given. So no chance any one can take it out or bring one in without an id card and they always checked the make of laptop at least.”” I grinned to myself thinking about the twist to come.

““I questioned Sindhu some more "Was temporary id issued?" "No Giri" I was thinking if it was issued then it could have been with the laptop on the cupboard and someone could have forced the lock and taken it. But then I remembered something. "Sindhu let us go take a look" I said. I had a theory which I wanted to check and some facts which were needed to either accept or discard the theory” I took a piece of paper and drew the layout of the area and the cabin to make my family understand.

“One thing about our group was, unlike the two companies I worked later in consulting (they were in the top 5 companies in Indian IT) there were more ladies. Couple of them sat next to Sindhu and were part of our pre-sales support and proposal delivery. The same I mentioned earlier about supporting for a proposal.”

““Amma you know Neena and Payal right, (Amma nodded though she was not clear I was sure) they accompanied us having heard our dialogues and as usual curious. Also they knew my old mobile story so they were teasing me "Ok Sherlock prove again you are Sherlock" I laughed and we went in. Neena was the one who was with me when you called to wish me for my Birthday when I was in France Florange Amma in 2006. And Payal you also know Shee, she is Prasanti’s friend.”” I paused got up and picked a packet of potato chips.

“Which Prasanti are you talking about? Our South Africa friend Prasanti?” asked Sheeja.

“Yes exactly, the one and only Prasanti and her one and only friend Payal” I replied.

“Ok now we got who you are talking about” said Amma and Sheeja. For my father it did not matter he just was half dozing ☺

The key

I settled down comfortably and opened the packet of chips took one piece and chomped on it and continued. ““We went to the cabin, it was unlocked, I went to the cupboard, just as I guessed the three cupboards were the same type as in Mrs. Prameela’s or any other cabin’s as same as conference room’s. I just looked around asked Sindhu to open the drawer containing the keys. There it was 3 sets of keys. I took one key "Giri that is not the key to the cupboard where I kept the laptop" Sindhu said. I grinned at her and turned and went to the cupboard””

I enjoyed the moment as here comes the twist “I walked to the cupboard inserted the wrong key and opened it. Step one solved. You don’t need the specific cupboard key; even the conference room cupboard key can open. Step 2 also I had the answer through elimination. Many of the guys never even knew about Gupta’s tantrum as it happened in one of the peak periods where a few were only without onsite project.”

“Very few had laptop bags or bags to carry it out. The security opened every bad and every laptop needed a laptop id and carrier either had a letter or laptop number printed id card. Otherwise they will not be allowed in or out. Last two week’s there were several occasions Sadhu and Hemant were in this cabin.” I paused to eat a few more chips and Sheeja also reached into the pack.

“I do not think they stole but they might have left it open. I was in a dilemma why and how they could steal it? Of course a moment of weakness is enough I thought. But then still the point remained how it was taken out with security checking every bag? Also you need an id and Hemant and Sadhu had a laptop already, old ones but they had them already.” I smiled now getting more awake as I remembered the twists.

“You cannot hide two laptops in a single laptop bag and you cannot take it away without id. And a laptop is not something you can throw out a window and collect it later and again there were no windows all our floors had sun guard windows with glasses embedded in concrete.” I paused to drink some water. Talking is thirsty work ☺

“Maybe they were afraid some one may kill themselves or throw a manager out after appraisals and salary hikes :) So the usual robbery techniques may not work here. “I grinned at my family as they recognized that I was painting a picture of difficulty in robbing.

“I had my doubts narrowed to Sadhu and Hemant. Sadhu used to stay late and used the cabin, while there was no one else some days. I remember leaving and seeing Sadhu sitting talking over the phone with our EU sales team on many days.”

I continued explaining the facts as I remembered or discovered. “Hemant always sat with Sadhu or when one of them had a call the other went to work on something in his laptop or took the call in another room so as important calls can be attended without disturbance. But Hemant always left well before Sadhu.”

I could see Sheeja was bursting to say something.

I paused to let her say her piece. “I know Sadhu was there long after you left. Knowing you if he was the one who did it you would make sure he was kicked out” Sheeja said triumphantly.

I smiled and said “But this case I knew the answer but could not prove or ensure that culprit got caught.” My family looked shocked.

“You mean you never caught the thief?” asked my Mother.

“No Amma I could not” and shook my head regretfully.

“Even when you knew who it was?” asked Sheeja.

“Yes even when we knew who it was, we could do nothing. Because knowing is one, catching is another. There are things called police, evidence etc. That was the issue” I explained.

“So you failed” asked triumphantly and in unison Sheeja and Mother and they looked at each other and at me and laughed.

Two keys solved, now we need the answer only who and how? I laughed and said “not really, I did solve it, but could not confront the criminal or recover the stolen property unlike the other situations”

Next Chapter: Mystery of the misused credit card