The dramatic opening of Episode 1 of Mrs. Deshpande unfolds with the chilling discovery of a young actor named Virat Malhotra, brutally slain in his Mumbai apartment by a familiar figure. Though the perpetrator remains unseen, the look of recognition on Virat's face is unmistakable. Moments after the culprit's departure, two female escorts, summoned by Virat's earlier request, arrive at the scene to find his lifeless body and sound the alarm to the authorities.
Enter Officer Arun Khatri, tasked with unraveling the mystery. His instincts are piqued when he realizes that the modus operandi (MO) mirrors that of a notorious serial killer, currently incarcerated in Hyderabad for over two and a half decades. As the third recent murder following this pattern emerges, Arun delves deeper, checking in on Mrs. Deshpande, now known as Zeenat, who is languishing in her cell in Hyderabad's prison.
The following morning, Zeenat overhears a news report about Virat's gruesome end and requests the warden to deliver a message to Arun. Meanwhile, journalist Prateek Suryavanshi meets Arun with a cautionary tale, hinting at a possible re-emergence of the serial killer from the past. Prateek alleges that the killer was never truly brought to justice and suggests that Arun may have allowed the criminal to walk free for personal gain. Arun brushes off Prateek's accusations with a stoic resolve.
Elsewhere, a young man creeps into a residence, watches a middle-aged man sleep peacefully, and strikes without mercy, tying him up in a manner reminiscent of previous murders. The next day, Arun visits Zeenat in her cell to discuss her offer to aid the Mumbai police in solving this new wave of serial murders.
Mrs. Deshpande boldly asserts that if a copycat killer is imitating her, they will inexorably add five more victims to her original eight, a macabre counterpoint to her own eight-murder confession. She offers her expertise to expedite the investigation, but with a condition: her transfer back to Mumbai. Arun pleads his case to Bhushan Nagre, his superior, requesting that Mrs. Deshpande be relocated to a high-security guest house in Mumbai. He is willing to bear the brunt of any fallout from this plan, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to safeguarding potential victims.
Meanwhile, ACP Tejas Phadke, an undercover cop, is abruptly withdrawn from an exposé on a drug racket at Arun's behest. Arun enlists Tejas to revisit the case file on Mrs. Deshpande. As Mrs. Deshpande prepares for her transfer by cleverly concealing powdered dried mushrooms in a hidden compartment of her undergarment, Tejas is stunned by the revelation that she will be an integral part of the investigation.
In Mumbai, Arun enlightens Tejas on Mrs. Deshpande's past arrest and conviction, detailing how she agreed to a plea deal that kept her true identity hidden in exchange for confessing to eight murders, despite the lack of concrete evidence. The next evening, Tejas reunites with his wife and grandfather after a three-month separation, resolutely avoiding any discussion of the confidential case.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Deshpande is transported to Mumbai in an ambulance, her every move a delicate dance with the CCTV cameras as she changes and conceals her undergarments under her mattress. The next morning, Arun and Tejas meet with Mrs. Deshpande to delve into the logistics of the crime. She insists on visiting the crime scene, a request Tejas initially resists but ultimately relents to, racing against the clock.
At Virat's apartment, Mrs. Deshpande retraces the killer's steps with meticulous precision, revealing that she targeted only men involved in heinous sexual crimes, as documented in her file. She adds that she deliberately left her victims holding trophies, mirroring the copycat killer's modus operandi with Virat.
Tejas draws the chilling conclusion that the culprit must be one of the six individuals who had privileged access to Mrs. Deshpande's confidential files. With three deceased suspects already out of the picture, leaving only the tenacious defense attorney, the relentless prosecutor, and the enigmatic Arun, a tangled web of deceit unfurls. The prosecutor's confession of burning his copy sets the stage for Tejas to pay a visit to Jehan Daruwala, the defense attorney. Jehan discloses with a troubled air that his copy of the file is missing, and his suspicion falls on Hosh, his own nephew.
As Tejas waits, Hosh makes an appearance, revealing himself to be the same individual responsible for the earlier heinous crime. When Hosh catches sight of Tejas armed and ready, he flees on his scooter, leaving a trail of dust and unanswered questions in his wake. A thorough search of Hosh's room yields unexpected treasures - letters addressed directly to Tejas from none other than Mrs. Deshpande herself. The episode concludes with Mrs. Deshpande indulging in a meal she had prepared for herself, while Tejas shows Arun the letters, finally realizing that they had been duped by a masterful serial killer's ruse.
