After a six-month wait finally my relieving orders from the State Government arrived on 28th of August. Somehow it had to coincide with some sensitive information coming-in regarding some illegal immigrants in Bangalore, and I was requested to stick-on for another three days to investigate that. I was thus finally relieved from the Internal Security Division and along with it from the Government of Karnataka on the 3rd of September 2011 with a short and sweet farewell in the Office Chamber of my ADGP. The final Day was a busy one though. I had to wind up all pending files, instruct the Officers taking them over and pack all by belongings. I thanked and bid goodbye to my colleagues of those five months, took my belongings and left the Office with new dreams and aspirations on the new journey I was about to embark upon.
Chinni had left for the US on 17th of August and it was nearly 2 weeks now. The last I spoke to her, she was in Vegas with that cash out voucher. She also told me she'd run out of luck soon thereafter. I informed her on phone, that I was planning to report to the CBI Headquarter on the 8th of September that is Thursday. So after a break of three days at Bangalore, I packed myself and left for New Delhi on the 7th evening. I halted at the Karnataka Bhavan. The next morning, in a tie and blazer, I reported to the CBI Headquarters at CGO Complex New Delhi and called on the Senior Officers. I had made it clear to CBI authorities, long time back, that I intend to get posted in Bangalore only, for various reasons, of which Chinni’s Post Graduation was one. But when I reported at Delhi, there was still some confusion at the Headquarters regarding my posting. So I made it absolutely clear once again, that I had all planned up in Bangalore and so there’s no other place that I can get posted. Surprisingly enough they did buy my argument and papers began to move to get me posted here. With my good friend and batch mate already posted in the CBI at the Delhi headquarter he played a nice host for the two days of my stay in Delhi. By Friday afternoon my orders of posting to Bangalore as SP CBI, Anti Corruption Branch, Bangalore were ready and I wasted no time in grabbing the orders and taking the very next flight back to Bangalore. There I was back in Bangalore by Saturday evening, my home, and in a new Avathar. I reported to my boss at Bangalore that very evening and just realized that there was some sensational work brewing up at the Bangalore branch. The mining cases that were registered at the Hyderabad branch some time back which even sent a Karnataka Minister behind the bars, required some searches to be conducted in Bellary. This task was handed over to the Bangalore branch and accordingly we left towards Bellary on Sunday afternoon, by road and halted at the Ananthapur Police Guest House that night.
The next morning we left early , by about 4 am towards Bellary and started the searches by 6. The searches were completed amid huge media attention, by afternoon. After lunch, we left towards Bangalore and were back by sunset, to salvage whatever little was left off that Sunday. The next day, Monday was supposed to be the actual beginning of my job in the CBI. But again I was handed over a message in the morning, that my services would be required in Hyderabad for the next fortnight. There were far too many sensational cases in Hyderabad and the branch there was terribly understaffed for the kind of work they were handling. So there I was packed again and on my way to Hyderabad, on the next morning flight. I reported to my Joint Director in Hyderabad and was handed over one of the most sensational cases that was being investigated there. I couldn’t have asked for more.
With the topmost room at the Dilkusha Guesthouse (beside the Raj Bhawan) as a makeshift office and a couple of officers to help the next fortnight was one of the most memorable periods in recent times. I was put up in the Police Officers Mess at Masab Tank. I spent the days at my Temporary Office and the evenings were all mine to explore Hyderabad. So it was all about Biriyanis and Movies for the evenings of the next two weeks. Sujeet was there for most of the time as Company. My batch mate was also the DCP North in Hyderabad. So it was good company all the time.
At the end of the two-week period as I started to feel, it was time to be back in Bangalore, I spoke to my bosses and returned to Bangalore on Tuesday the 27th Sep. Now that I was coming back to Bangalore to occupy the newly allotted residence, I called for our luggage that was stocked up in Mangalore for the last six months, to be transported to Bangalore. So Wednesday morning I was greated with a truckload of items arrived from Mangalore at the CBI quarter. In the absence of Chinni., Mom, Dad and Bujji had to do the formalities of a small Puja and we then entered the new house. I got some help from Mangalore, as well as the staff here in CBI. They did a real great job in moving all the stuff and placing them at the right places. The next two days were hectic with opening Cartons and cartons of stuff and trying to arrange them to fit to the new house. Meanwhile two sensational mining related cases got registered at the Bangalore branch and I was immediately asked to go to Bellary for fresh searches. With a team of about 15 officers and men we left for Bellary on Sunday afternoon. We conducted the searches on Monday and Tuesday and returned back Home that midnight. It was back to unpacking and arranging the New House again.
On Thursday I got myself a little free from work early and decided to watch the Champions League Twenty 20 match between RCB, Bangalore and New South Wales Blues, Australia, along with a friend. It was not that I was fond of Twenty 20, but more because we got invited by the local ACP who is a good friend of mine, to the VVIP gallery where you are treated to world class hospitality apart from having to watch the match from the ring side. We did have great fun with both the hospitality and the match itself. Chris Gayle for the RCB was at his best that evening (a 92 of 41 balls).
Come Monday and I was to spend most of this week at the Income Tax office, scrutinizing the documents seized by them in their searches relating to Illegal Mining. I had so many of my batch mates and friends there, that, this task turned out to be real enjoyable. I would get one officer do all the scrutiny while I would be supervising the work. Spend time with the Income Tax friends catching up with old times and we’d go out for lunch everyday to some exotic place. The fun week was actually cut short by the visit of the Joint Director from Hyderabad to Bangalore on Thursday to review the progress in Investigation. We had also planned a visit to the Mines in Bellary, for a first hand knowledge, on Friday, along with him and so left to Bellary by the Thursday Night Train. I just realized that I became eligible to travel by 1st Class AC in the railways, with the latest increase in my scale of Pay, only when I saw the tickets booked by my Office. Though it was a pleasant surprise, the coach was a real disappointment. I had expected much more from the Indian Railways for the fare they charge on 1st AC. Anyway I did enjoy the railway journey after a long time.
The next day was all travelling throughout the District of Bellary visiting the various Iron Ore mines where National Wealth was plundered by the mining mafia, like there was no tomorrow. Lush green hills and valleys of Sandur and Hospet, were destroyed with absolute contempt, artificial valleys were created running kilometers together… it was all mind boggling. That night we returned back to Bangalore by train again.
It is more than 2 weeks since the luggage arrived from Mangalore now and I have finally finished unpacking and rearranging the new house. It's a wonderful feeling how the house as turned out after two weeks of struggle between work, travelling and arranging the house. Wish Chinni were there too, She would have loved the entire experience as much. Now everything seems to have just fallen place for Chinni’s arrival from her US trip on 11th of November.
Surprisingly my new job at the CBI was expected to be a low profile one, after the hectic District assignments for nearly six years. But it did not turn out that way. Somehow my entry to the organization began to coincide with some of the most sensational cases getting registered with the CBI. Though I moved to the CBI by choice, somewhere in a corner of my mind I was concerned if I would miss all the attention we got in the Districts. But the way things are presently going here, I don’t think I’ll get an opportunity to miss that part and I guess, I probably couldn't have asked for more.
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