This page contains the full solution, killer identity, evidence map, and facilitation notes. Open only if you are hosting and will not be playing — or after the game has ended.
Reena Mehrotra, 44 — Junior Partner
Vikram had spent the day assembling evidence of two separate betrayals by Reena: she had forged his signature to divert ₹18 lakh from a client settlement into an account she controlled (HDFC 4421), and she had been ghostwriting legal arguments for Sharma & Partners — the opposing counsel in a live case — in exchange for payment. Either charge meant the end of her legal career. Together they were grounds for criminal prosecution. He called her at 19:45 and again at 20:28 — the second call, inside the murder window, was the final summons.
During the confrontation in Room 1401, Reena picked up the heavy glass paperweight from Vikram's desk and struck him from behind with a single blow. She then repositioned the body near the bookshelf to suggest an accidental fall, scattered the papers from his desk to complete the illusion, and walked out at 21:18 — telling the security guard she was "just finishing up."
ICC Tower's 14th floor keycard system. Reena's badge logged her entering at 19:52 — and no exit until 21:18. Her statement to police claimed she left at approximately 20:00. Her taxi app confirmed she booked a cab at 21:22 from ICC Tower — her first booking of the evening. Three independent systems, one story.
| Suspect | Apparent Motive | How They're Cleared | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siddharth Kapoor | ₹40cr case exposure; hostile calls with Vikram | Visitor log + CCTV confirm exit at 20:20 — 10 minutes before murder window opens | E03 E10 |
| Priya Desai | Will revision — ₹2.2cr inheritance stake altered | Restaurant alibi at Koregaon Park confirmed by 4 independent witnesses + booking record; not in building | E02 |
| Arjun Nair | HR warning; personal humiliation; grudge | Keycard shows exit at 20:46 — before murder window; CCTV corroborates lobby departure | E02 E12 |
| Lata Krishnan | 18-year promotion rejection; master key access | Badge confirms she left the 14th floor before TOD window; her statement corroborates timeline against Reena | E02 E13 |
E01 — Post-Mortem Report: Staged fall confirmed; impact angle inconsistent with a fall; single blow from behind. Directs Forensic Analyst to look for the weapon and question the scene narrative.
E02 — Keycard Access Log: Full 14th floor entry/exit for 6 March. Reena badges in at 19:52 — no exit until 21:18. Priya never appears. Arjun exits 20:46. Lata exits 20:08. The core alibi data is all here — but players won't have the contradicting statements yet.
E03 — CCTV Log: ICC Tower lobby and lift camera summary. Siddharth Kapoor confirmed leaving at 20:20:47. Reena visible exiting lobby at 21:18. Arjun in lobby at 20:46. Corroborates keycard data.
E04 — Crime Scene Report: Glass paperweight missing from desk; impact zone on carpet inconsistent with bookshelf fall; scattered papers show signs of deliberate displacement. Confirms staging.
E05 — Vikram's Call Log: Two calls to Reena — 19:45 (2 min 14 sec) and 20:28 (38 sec). Call to Siddharth at 17:15. No other outgoing calls after 20:28. Establishes that Reena was summoned that evening.
E06 — Security Guard Statement: Prakash Thorat found Vikram at 21:15. Recalls seeing Reena leaving "just a bit before" — time not confirmed. Siddharth checked out at his desk at 20:20. No sign of Priya or Arjun after 20:30.
E07 — 14th Floor Plan: Layout of Room 1401 and surrounding offices. Shows Reena's office adjacent to Vikram's with shared corridor access. Access route to 1401 from elevator requires passing Reena's office.
E08 — Financial Audit Trail: HDFC account ending 4421 registered to RM Consultancy Services. ₹18L transfer authorisation dated 28 Feb 2025 from Desai & Associates client settlement funds. Signature on file — Vikram Desai's name. This is the motive anchor.
E09 — Vikram's Desk Note: Handwritten working note recovered from desk drawer. Reads: "RM-SP · HDFC 4421 · BC complaint · call KM tomorrow." Cryptic but decodable — RM = Reena Mehrotra, SP = Sharma & Partners, HDFC 4421 = the account, BC = Bar Council.
E10 — Visitor Log (Siddharth): ICC Tower visitor desk log entry. Signed in 19:45, floor 14, Desai & Associates. Signed out 20:20. Photograph taken at entry. Clears Siddharth — he was gone before the murder window opened.
E11 — Reena's Police Statement: Reena tells officers she completed a brief and left at "approximately 20:00." Does not reference the two calls from Vikram. Does not explain her 21:18 exit on keycard or 21:22 taxi booking. This is where groups should surface the contradiction.
E12 — Arjun Nair Keycard Extract: Arjun's badge shows 14th floor entry 18:30, exit 20:46. Clears him from the murder window. His statement said he left around 20:45 — exact match.
E13 — Lata Krishnan Statement: Lata confirms she left at 20:08, returned briefly at approximately 20:50 to collect a forgotten item, and saw Reena's office light on at that time. Destroys Reena's claim of leaving at 20:00 from a second independent source.
E14 — HDFC Bank Disbursement Record: Official bank record for the ₹18L transfer. Transfer authorised under Desai & Associates account signatory. Payment reference: "Client Settlement Disbursement — Matter No. DA-2024-118." Sends funds to RM Consultancy Services, HDFC 4421.
E15 — Forensic Handwriting Comparison: FSL comparison of signature on E14 authorisation vs. known Vikram Desai specimens. Conclusion: signature is not consistent with authenticated samples. Classification: likely forgery. Closes the forgery chain.
E16 — Taxi App Record: Ola ride request from Reena Mehrotra's registered account. Pickup location: ICC Trade Tower, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune. Timestamp: 21:22:07. This is her first ride request of the evening — she was still in the building until at minimum 21:20.
E17 — Email Extract (Reena to Sharma & Partners): Draft email recovered from Reena's sent items by digital forensics, dated 2 March 2025. Attaches case arguments to rival counsel Rajesh Sharma with instruction not to attribute. References ₹80k payment "through the usual arrangement." Bar Council violation confirmed in writing.
Round 1 (Pack A): The post-mortem staging finding is the first hook — the group should immediately question why the scene was arranged. Direct the Forensic Analyst to E01 + E04 together. The keycard log (E02) is dense — give the Timeline Keeper time to map it out. Don't rush to Pack B.
Round 2 (Test Alibis): Ask the group to state, per suspect, what physical evidence supports or contradicts each alibi. Reena's alibi ("I left at 20:00") has no corroborating evidence in Pack A — but it also hasn't been contradicted yet. The group should feel uncertain, not confident.
Round 3 (Pack B): E11 (Reena's statement) is the AHA moment when placed against E02. E09 (desk note) is the motive unlock — groups who decode "RM-SP" before finding E08 have a different experience. E13 (Lata's statement) is the second nail: a witness, not a system, placing Reena in the building at 20:50.
Pack C (if needed): Release if the group is confident Reena is guilty but can't fully articulate the motive chain. E15 (handwriting comparison) usually lands hardest — it converts "likely forgery" to confirmed forgery. E17 (email) is the complete Bar Council violation in Reena's own words.