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Journalism of Courage
For Abdul Qayuum Ansari, alias Abu Salem, the world was his oyster. The very fact that he could escape being apprehended for almost a decade after the pernicious Bombay blasts 8212; his involvement in which has been well established 8212; is a testimony to the power and efficacy of international mafia networks. It is ironical in the extreme that duly elected governments the world over are sometimes rendered powerless in the face of such a ruthless and formidable force. India8217;s arduous chase after a man wanted, not just in the Bombay blasts cases but for a long string of crimes, including murders, threats to murder, extortion rackets and attempts to blackmail, must be perceived against this reality.
Of course, what has not helped is a system that is as prone to corruption as ours. Abu Salem and his associates, including partner Monica Bedi, left the country with 8216;valid8217; passports thanks to 8216;cooperative8217; police and government officials. Then there was that display of plain incompetence last November, when the don made good his escape from the UAE after he was detained briefly there, because the Indian authorities could not come up with either his fingerprints or passport details. India has still not recovered from having made a hash of that one. Since India has an extradition treaty with the UAE, it would have been relatively easier to get him out of there, as was done in the case of Aftab Ansari not so long ago. Portugal is a whole new ball game. Not only does India not having an extradition treaty with it, Portugal is also bound by the legal framework of the European Union. Remember, too, that issues like extradition are notoriously difficult to negotiate. Take the case of Ottavio Quattrocchi, wanted in the Bofors case. Despite India8217;s fairly cordial relations with Malaysia, the local law had to take its course and that did not help expedite his return to India.
