Story of their Assassins continues ………….

There was silence for a while.
The co-pilot then said, ‘Sir, I had heard so much about CBI officers chasing criminals but for the first time I am seeing it happen right in front of my eyes.’ She looked at me in awe.

The flying time between Ranchi and Delhi passed quickly, thanks to the hospitality of the pilots and the cabin staff. Soon the aircraft was approaching Delhi. The captain offered to convey any message that I wanted through air traffic control, once the plane had landed. Alternatively, I could switch on my mobile phone as soon as the aircraft had touched the tarmac. I thanked him for the offer and informed him that all necessary information had already been conveyed.

The aircraft landed smoothly at Delhi and began to taxi to its designated spot. I called up Rajbir, but uncharacteristically, there was no response even as his mobile and landline phones rang incessantly. I then called up his deputy, Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, but even he didn’t respond. This was a strange and unacceptable turn of events.

Meanwhile, the aircraft had finished taxiing and had come to a stop. I waited anxiously for the Special Cell boys to rush in and nab MS and his aide. But there was no one in sight. Both the captain and co-pilot looked at me quizzically and asked my permission to let the passengers disembark. I must have looked like a fool after the larger-than-life picture I had painted of a CBI sleuth in action through the flight. Embarrassed, I called Rajbir one last time from my mobile, but there was again no response. I then called Mohan Sharma.
But there was no response from him either. Never before had Rajbir or his deputy not answered a call from me or not called me back immediately.

I knew something was amiss but could not figure out what. I had no option but to tell the captain to allow the passengers to disembark. I was permitted to leave with the business class passengers in the first bus.

To be continued …..….