“Return of the Memons: A Pyrrhic Victory” continues…

He gave me the entire picture of the situation he was in and for a moment I thought that the operation had fallen apart.

I called Consul General Prabhu and told him that Suresh was not being allowed to check out from Hotel Claridges. Prabhu was by then at his tether’s end. Hitherto meeting all my difficult demands on him, not ever questioning what they were for, he asked me rather angrily: ‘Neeraj, what is this all about?’ I told him the whole story. I said: ‘Prabhu, these are the Memons wanted by us in the Bombay Blast Case and Suresh has to be helped in getting them back.’ Prabhu asked me rather testily: ‘What do you want me to do now?’ I pleaded: ‘Please go to the Claridges and tell the Receptionist who you are. Also, tell him that you have received a complaint from an Indian national that he was being unnecessarily harassed, his passport illegally retained by them and he was not being allowed to check-out.’ I also asked him to be prepared to proceed from the hotel with Suresh straight to where the Memons were hiding, put them all in a vehicle and pretend as if he (Prabhu) was going to drop them at Dubai International Airport. Somewhere on the way, he should take a detour and proceed to Sharjah. He asked me: ‘Does it have the Foreign Secretary’s approval?’ I confidently said: ‘Yes’. But, obviously I was lying.

It must be said Prabhu Dayal played his role brilliantly and saved the day for us. He stormed into Hotel Claridges complex in full strength with a number of his staffers in toe, his official car flying the tri-colour. He disclosed his identity and demanded of the Reception that Suresh’s passport be released immediately and he (Suresh) be allowed to check out. The Hotel Reception called up Suresh in his room, and asked him to come down with his baggage to check-out.

To be continued…