Mouse that roared

Weeks after it triumphantly nabbed Sreesanth,Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila,the scandal appeared to be losing steam. Though the police claimed to possess transcripts of incriminating phone conversations,it soon resorted to accusing Sreesanth of buying mobile phones and throwing parties excesses a famous cricketer might be able to afford without entering a life of crime. Other less than diabolical images have followed: of a sheepish Chavan taking time off from jail to get married,and a distraught Sreesanth being counselled by Gopal Kanda in Tihar,while the bookies remain shadowy figures in the background. Enter the big guns,the star cast of crime,the names guaranteed to give any case top billing.

For Dawood and his aide,to be charged with spot-fixing is coming down in the world. Not for nothing did Dawood rank fourth on Forbess list of the world most wanted criminals in 2008. This is the man who has jeopardised ties between India and Pakistan. In India alone,Dawood is said to run operations worth thousands of crores,ranging from arms smuggling to counterfeiting rackets. Spot-fixing is small change. And if decades of chasing Dawood are anything to go by,the Delhi Police have their work cut out. For when they reach the scene of crime,Dawood,like Macavity the mystery cat,is simply not there.