The mysterious Mr Jadeja

New Delhi, December 5: No. 4, W-14, GK II wore a deserted look on Tuesday night, a marked difference from the heady days of the CBI raids ...

New Delhi, December 5: No. 4, W-14, GK II wore a deserted look on Tuesday night, a marked difference from the heady days of the CBI raids a few months ago, when a carnival-like atmosphere prevailed outside the houses of the cricketers under cloud. Since then, there has been a lot of water under the bridge and that today’s BCCI decision to slap a 5-year ban on the bubbly Indian cricketer has not really come as a surprise to anyone.

There were no hangers on or mediapeople outside, just a couple of guards at the neighouring house who watched passersby with little concealed curiousity. One guard ventured the information that neither the player nor his car had been seen in several months, a statement supported by a couple of neighbours getting into a Maruti. After first responding with "why don’t you find out yourself," one of the girls said, “He has shifted out and doesn’t live here anymore.”

On ringing the doorbell to the Jadejas’ flat, a young woman came out and very reluctantly said she was his “bhabhi.” His parents, looking quite upset, were watching television in the room and said something to their daughter-in-law. She in turn, when asked if she knew where Jadeja was, said she didn’t at the moment. "Par mujhe pata bhi tha, to main aapko nahin bolti."

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The scene at the distinctive no-gate residence of Defence Minister George Fernandes’ house at No 3 Krishna Menon Marg — also the residence of Samata Party’s Jaya Jaitley, who’s daughter Aditi is Jadeja’s close friend — was much the same. One of the policemen watching a neighbouring house said that the cricketer was a frequent visitor, but had not been seen today. “Woh to aate rehte hain, lekin aaj, jabse meri duty lagi hain, maine nahin dekha unko.”

A man who said he lived behind the house denied ever seeing Jadeja anywhere near the place. “Kabhi nahin dikhe.” And that really is the Jadeja story.

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