“Devil Wears ‘Khaadi’ (The Unmasking of Romesh Sharma)” continues…

He had it conveyed to Abu Salem, through a circuitous route of informants and contacts, that his DIG had learnt of the threat calls made by him (Salem) to Ramesh Malik and that it was in Salem’s interest to lay off.

Much to Ramesh’s relief, Salem called him to say:’’’Malik Sahib, you never told me that you knew such senior people in the CBI and the government like Neeraj Kumar. You can be rest assured that you have nothing to fear from me. On the contrary, if you need any help, please let me know’’’.

It is only later that I was to learn that Ramesh Mallik’s telephone was under the observation of the local police, which too had jumped in the fray. Apparently, Malik had reported the matter to VN Singh, Delhi Police Commissioner, who had directed the concerned Police Station to look into it. The conversation between Salem and Ramesh Malik, which mentioned me by name, was recorded by the local police. The intercept was to be given a vicious twist in the days to come to get at me, as subsequent events were to show. But more on that later.

The intercepted conversation between Romesh Sharma and Abu Salem, courtesy Inspector Ishwar Singh, was played to T.N. Mishra, the Director, who then felt reassured that the decks were clear for us to move in on Romesh Sharma. No one in authority-political or bureaucratic—would dare to intervene or interfere on behalf of a person conspiring with the underworld. However, the Director rightly advised us that the cause of action should be an event more contemporary and immediate than the complaint given by Rao in 1996, of his having been forcibly deprived of his helicopter.

H.Suresh Rao was called to our office in Delhi from his city of residence Bombay. As per a premeditated plan conceived by us, he was to meet Sharma at his Mayfair residence and ask him to return the helicopter.

To be continued...