"Gifts from the Gulf" continues...

A shining black Mercedes drove in almost simultaneously with Ambassador Singh and a senior
Dubai official. It was this official who had helped us get all clearances to take Aftab and Raju back.
Getting Raju alongside Aftab was a huge surprise for us and a most welcome bonus. He was wanted
in a fake currency case of 2001 registered in the Jaipur Branch of the CBI besides several other cases
of kidnappings in Gujarat, Kolkata and other parts of India. He was a member of Aftab’s gang and a key participant in most cases of kidnapping committed by it.

The Dubai Police handed them over to us without any fuss and they were taken aboard the waiting
plane. I thanked the Ambassador for the stellar role he had played in the operation and the Dubai
authorities for their magnanimity. Much embracing and hand shaking between our Embassy officials
and me preceded our take-off with two of the most wanted rogues of India who, sitting in Dubai, had
played havoc in our country for far too long.
An air of celebration that normally follows a well-deserved triumph prevailed on board the aircraft.
Wide smiles were written over the faces of my colleagues. The joint efforts of a large number of
officers from Kolkata Police, Delhi Police, Gujarat Police, senior functionaries in the Government,
our diplomatic corps based in the UAE, particularly Ambassador K.C. Singh and the CBI, including
yours truly, had paid off. Having been at the centre of these efforts, the sense of euphoria and
elation for me was very special.

To be continued...