Baitha hai, sir, baitha hai!’(‘‘‘He is sitting there, Sir, he is there!’’’)( The Netting of Punjab CM’s assassin) continues....

I put the same question to him and got the same answer. ‘‘‘That makes it two’’’, I said to myself. By a happy co-incidence, ASI Anchal Singh, of the Delhi Traffic Police, came to pay me a courtesy call. He had been on my personal staff in the Delhi Police for many years, always by my side in trying times, most notably during the anti- Sikh riots of 1984. He is the sort of subordinate officer a senior could go to war with.

I asked him if he was willing to participate in a counter-terror operation with me commencing shortly. He too responded positively, though he had a condition. He did not intend to inform his superiors as they would never give him the go-ahead. After all, why should a Delhi Police officer get involved in a CBI operation whose details had not been shared with his seniors? The matter would have had to be cleared by none less than the Commissioner of Police himself. Therefore, Anchal Singh wanted his participation to be kept confidential, informal and unofficial. Since he was in his uniform I gave him a long and loose white shirt of mine, fitting his tall and broad frame, and asked him to change. These developments were gradually making me more confident and reassured. I quickly got ready and reached my office at Yashwant Place, Chanakya Puri with the three Delhi Police personnel.

I picked up H.C. Singh, Superintendent of Police, Special Task Force, Delhi, ASI Hawa Singh and two other CBI men from the office for the operation. They were asked to proceed to a pre-decided point in Safdarjang Enclave with one of the two informers and wait for me.

To be continued…