The Supercrat
Brajesh Mishra, Vajpayee's principal secretary, has emerged as a strong power centre. But his critics say he has bitten off more than he can chew and has become the target of a proxy war against the prime minister.

Going Beyond Square One
India and Pakistan make subtle shifts in their positions on Kashmir, raising hopes of a renewed dialogue and restoration of peace. Much will depend on what happens during Ramzan.

Fifth Column
by Tavleen Singh
Multinational Myths

Prime Movers

Action Manifested

Dangerous Liaisons

Underworld Links

In 1993, just after the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai, the city police, much to their surprise, found pictures of Mohammed Azharuddin with blasts accused Tiger Memon.

Mumbai Police Commissioner M.N. Singh showed INDIA TODAY three photographs found during searches at the Memon homes: in one, Azhar in white trousers and black spotted shirt is sitting with the Memon brothers (Tiger and Yakub) in their bedroom; in another, he has posed with Tiger, a fugitive now.

Says Singh: "There is no crime that implicates Azhar. One has to ascertain whether they (Azhar and the Memons) were casual acquaintances or business partners." However, it is Azhar's contacts with men outside the fringes of law that kept the heat on the Hyderabad cricketer during the match-fixing controversy and made it impossible for him to manoeuvre his way out.

In November 1997, during a routine surveillance, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) men stumbled upon a conversation between Azhar, who was staying at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai, and Dubai-based Anees Ibrahim, brother of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, on Anees' mobile phone (00971 444 8585). The conversation revolved around the fixing of a Titan Cup match between India and South Africa. The tapes have since been handed over to the CBI.

In April, two days after Azhar was seen with Mumbai businessman Ashraf Patel, Patel was gunned down outside his home. Police discovered that the hit was scheduled for the day that he was seen with Azhar, but the killers held fire for fear of accidentally hurting the former India cricket captain. Even though Azhar told the CBI that Patel had no "involvement with cricket", the Mumbai Police suspect otherwise.

Says an officer: "Patel was gunned down because he knew too much about betting deals and match-fixing involving some prominent cricketers and influential persons in Mumbai. He could have been silenced to destroy evidence."

The police also believe it was Patel who first introduced Azhar to Dawood aide Sharad 'Anna' Shetty in Sharjah in 1997. Azhar reportedly lived in his Dubai apartment for a couple of days and accepted expensive gifts from the man known to be in control of betting in horse-racing, say the police.

-Sheela Raval

MetroScape
Celebrating India
Trikaya Grey of Delhi and Concept Communication of Mumbai, tied for the top at India Today's "My India My Pride" ad contest. So they were given an equitable deal of Rs 7.5 lakh each.
more...

Looking Glass

Mumbai: Restaurants

Bangalore: Concert

Delhi: Restaurant

Ayodhya is an issue that is pre-determined. And it matters little in the present fuss that the foremost casualty is the truth, writes INDIA TODAY Deputy Editor Swapan Dasgupta in
Day Dreams.

Orissa's Chilika, the largest brackish water lake in Asia, is dying. But there is a concerted effort to restore its health. INDIA TODAY Special Correspondent Ruben Banerjee takes a look at the diagnosis and treatment in Despatches.