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

SN Sinha, Director General of Police, Gujarat, the senior most cop of the state then, was at the Ahmedabad Airport to receive us. Netting Latif was an exceptional event for Gujarat and the DGP’s presence at the airport was only befitting of the rare occasion. Warm handshakes, hugs and congratulations were exchanged with the DGP. Latif was driven to the city in a long cavalcade.

News of his arrest had still not broken and the city was just about waking up for the day. After a couple of hours a Press Conference, where I was requested to remain present, was addressed by the DGP. When Kuldip Sharma was asked to brief the media on the operational details, he gave the CBI its due
credit and I too featured prominently in the local newspapers the following day.

I was put up in the VIP room of the Circuit House, which is normally reserved for CM’s official guests. I was declared a state guest of sorts, or so it seemed. On the invitation of Keshubhai Patel, the then Chief Minister, Kuldip and I called on him at his office in the afternoon. He left his chair and greeted me with folded hands, a sign of his humility and gratitude. He said: ‘‘‘DIG Saheb, we will never be able to thank you enough for what you have done for Gujarat.’’’ I was touched with his humility and sincerity.

A celebratory function at the Police Mess followed in the evening. Most senior officers of the state based in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar were present. Along with the Gujarat ATS officers I too was felicitated. Laudatory speeches were made on how it was a red-letter day for the Gujarat Police. As the
ceremony was in progress, messages came in that bricks and stones were thrown on a ‘victory procession’ taken out by common people of the city to celebrate Latif’s arrest, as it passed through an area where Latif once held sway. There was a possibility of matters taking a communal turn.

To be continued...