Reporter’s diary: Tracking a ghost - Tale of a ‘well-behaved’ gangster
The tale of a gangster who murdered a rival inside prison, yet was deemed trustworthy enough for freedom
Some stories are about arrests, some are about extraditions, and then there are those that make you sit back, scratch your head, and wonder—how does a man convicted of three murders and accused of 19 other heinous crimes get parole for “good conduct”? Covering the deportation of Mainpal Singh, alias Dheela, was less crime reporting and more a masterclass in how someone tries to erase himself, while the very system meant to guard against it politely looks the other way.
I remember sitting with STF officers, listening to the tale of how Singh simply walked out on parole, as if his rap sheet was a resume of a model citizen. A gangster who murdered a rival inside prison, yet was deemed trustworthy enough for freedom. Somewhere, a few signatures and a conveniently blind verification officer turned forged documents into a shiny new passport. Add a suitcase with ₹1.15 crore in cash (which magically morphed into 50 crore Cambodian riel), and voilà! A fugitive is reborn as a pub-owning businessman in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
And what a makeover it was. Singh traded his reputation as Jhajjar’s most feared gangster for the look of a flamboyant tourist guide: branded sneakers worth ₹25,000, designer T-shirts, stylish denim, and a new family—a Cambodian wife, three children, and a bustling life that couldn’t be farther from Gurugram’s back alleys.
One STF officer chuckled as he told me, “Honestly, he looked more like a travel blogger than a gangster.” The image stuck with me: a man fluent in violence but lost in translation, blending into a city where no one cared who he once was.
{{/usCountry}}One STF officer chuckled as he told me, “Honestly, he looked more like a travel blogger than a gangster.” The image stuck with me: a man fluent in violence but lost in translation, blending into a city where no one cared who he once was.
{{/usCountry}}But ghosts cast long shadows. For seven years, Singh managed to stay invisible—cutting ties with family, avoiding old associates, and burying his bloodied past under neon pub lights. Yet it took quiet diplomacy, dogged human intelligence, and a small army of officials working across borders to reel him back.
{{/usCountry}}But ghosts cast long shadows. For seven years, Singh managed to stay invisible—cutting ties with family, avoiding old associates, and burying his bloodied past under neon pub lights. Yet it took quiet diplomacy, dogged human intelligence, and a small army of officials working across borders to reel him back.
{{/usCountry}}There’s also a delicious irony. The IPS officer now overseeing the STF operation to nab Singh was the very SP who, back in 2018, had scribbled a furious handwritten note opposing Singh’s parole. He was transferred, Singh tried again, and freedom was served on a platter. Seven years later, that same officer’s file came full circle.
{{/usCountry}}There’s also a delicious irony. The IPS officer now overseeing the STF operation to nab Singh was the very SP who, back in 2018, had scribbled a furious handwritten note opposing Singh’s parole. He was transferred, Singh tried again, and freedom was served on a platter. Seven years later, that same officer’s file came full circle.
{{/usCountry}}As I left the STF office after hours of off-the-record anecdotes, I realised this wasn’t just about deportation. It was about how far a man can run, how convincingly he can reinvent himself, and how inevitably his past comes pounding on the door.
For Singh, the pub lights of Siem Reap are out. For me, the story served as a reminder that journalism isn’t just about the arrest note. It’s about telling how someone can be both invisible and unforgettable at the same time.
(Debashish is a senior correspondent who covers crime, traffic, transport and DHBVN)
