“Gifts from the Gulf” continues…

Rajeev quickly ascertained the calling number from Kolkata telephone exchange. It was the same number from which the Burman family had received ransom calls after Burman’s kidnapping. Then the caller had disclosed his identity as Aftab Ansari. It was more than certain that Farhan Malik was none other than Aftab Ansari. The mobile number from which Kolkata numbers had been called was passed on to me and I, in turn, shared it with K.C. Singh, our Ambassador in Abu Dhabi (U.A.E.).

During the course of the day, I suggested to my Director that the matter ought to be brought to the notice of the highest office in the government. The man behind the Santalpur arms trafficking case was also the mastermind of the attack on the American Centre in Kolkata. It was time we involved the Americans in getting Aftab Ansari nabbed in Dubai. They might respond positively as one of their own overseas facilities had come under attack. I suggested to the Director that he should meet the Prime Minister and request him to use his good offices to get a message conveyed to the US authorities. The Director took my suggestion and sought an appointment with the Prime Minister on an urgent basis.

The same evening Director Sharma called me on my mobile at about 8 pm, soon after I returned home from work. He said he had met the PM and briefed him. PM Vajpayee had immediately summoned his Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra and asked him to get the Americans in the loop.

To be continued…