""Ayeessa Kya? (Is it so?)" continues...

At 6.30 PM on October 9.1995, a team comprising Kuldip Sharma, DIG/ATS, Gujarat, H.C. Singh, SP/CBI, Arun Kampani, ACP Daryaganj, Jadeja, DSP/ATS, M.K, Bhat, DSP/CBI and I reached the office of Raju Sinha, Divisional Engineer, Daryaganj Telephone Exchange. Sinha was ready with his telephone monitoring system comprising of two computers linked to the two telephones installed in the PCO. The telephones were linked to special listening gadgets designed in such a way that neither the caller nor the person called would get any indication or hint that his conversation was being heard. Also, if anything was said by us into the mouthpiece, it would not be heard either by the caller or the called person. The gadget had recording facility as well. Whenever any number was called from the two PCO numbers, the called number would be displayed on the Video Display Unit of our computer giving the name of the city called. One independent telephone line was kept free for any call to be made or received by us sitting on watch. Sinha’s set-up had another in-built facility. In the unlikely
event of Latif using the PCO number to make a conference call with the Ahmedabad number, the calling number and its location would also show on the computer screen. A separate and dedicated team was available with us at the exchange itself that would move to that location. Thus, the possibility of Abdul Latif using a third number in Delhi and conferencing through the PCO was also provided for. However, until 11 PM that evening there was no activity of any interest to us. Even though we dispersed without any positive development that evening, it was gratifying and reassuring to see that our arrangements were in perfect order and as good as they could possibly be.

I have delved deep into the technical arrangements which by today’s standards may seem rudimentary to law enforcement officers familiar with this trade, but it was truly state-of-the-art then. Use of computers and listening gadgets in the early nineties was not as common as it is now.

To be continued...