"Shadows Behind Stardom"

2nd part of the story

Singh stared at Khaled's face for a while -
You definitely didn't come here to interview me.
Khaled remained silent, wondering how to extract information from Singh, but he wouldn't feel any pain.

PixabayLink

Singh looked at Khaled again -
No matter how skilled and experienced an investigative journalist you are, this is beyond your control. You have nothing to do here.
Khaled's self-respect was hurt because he had exposed many corruptions in the film industry; Khaled's name was spoken with respect in the film industry.
Khaled respected Singh, so to lighten the mood, he said -
Death rather than retirement.
The silence grew thick. Singh decided that the exact details of the protest he had started, for which he had to take this sudden retirement, needed to be revealed to everyone.
He looked at Khaled and said -
You guessed it right. The mafia has increased a lot in the film industry; the film industry is now run by the mafia. Nowadays, the industry is not about making good films but a means of laundering black money.
Now he took out a file and handed it to Khaled-
“This is a terrible script, the director is inexperienced, everyone knew it would flop, yet on paper, it has been tripled in its budget.”
With an angry face, he said
“I asked questions, and it was my mistake.”
Sitting in anger, he started saying-
How the producers have increased the foreign collections, laundered money through shell distributors and spread profits abroad, and created losses in the country. They have washed black money and made it white by coming to the cinema screen.
This is a very big mafia syndicate, known only as The Circle - it supports films not for art, but for smuggling. That is why films are made with desirable actors so that there is no problem.
Singh started talking-
“I checked several documents - politicians were contacted, bank transfers, and offshore accounts were linked to people who never existed. When I refused to headline such a project, they sent me a message.”
Singh picked up his phone from the table. It showed a picture of Singh's little daughter. She is coming out of school. There is a message that reads-
“Take a break,” “Or attend more funerals.”
Khaled finally understood why Singh had left the industry without telling anyone, despite being at the peak of his popularity.
Khaled sympathized with Singh and said, “I want to help you and bring this mafia network to light.”
Khaled formed a team of 5, and his team got a name for themselves. Step by step, they moved forward. It was a struggle to get through each step. It started with the most lying part – box office numbers. By cross-checking various documents, including customs data, airline cargo records, foreign exhibitors’ filings, and trade magazines, he found patterns. Films were declared super hits without being printed. Screenings were reported in cities where there were no cinemas. Khaled followed money after money, how small production companies were funded, and then they suddenly disappeared. The faces of all the elite people who were behind everything started to emerge one by one.
Khaled was almost done when he got a call from an unknown number -
The unknown voice whispered, "Stop digging." Or get ready to go three and a half feet underground.
Khaled was familiar with all this, once before
A white car had followed him for several blocks, and another time, his apartment door was found open, and everything in the house was in ruins.

PixabayLink

Khaled decided he would see to it that he would see to it.
After a few more days like this, one day, an unexpected help came that brought a solution to this problem.
A banker's junior accountant, Hanif, gave Khaled a pen drive, which contained
accounts linking the circle or mafia ranks to four major studios, three ministers, and a network of international crime financiers.
Khaled first contacted Singh and then informed the higher-ups of the administration. An honest officer takes up the task with a challenge
They quickly took action. The two producers who were involved in this were arrested, and the ministers fled in silence,
A case was filed against them in court, and a warrant was issued. The mafia activities in the film industry were stopped. Singh joined the work again. Singh and Khaled were sitting together planning, and smiles of satisfaction were visible on both their faces.

Specially thanks to @dove11 sir, who brings beautiful story to us.

I invite three of my friends to join the challene
@jollymonowara
@mdkamran99
@ariful2