Sunday Snippet
By Venkatesh Raghavan
There are a couple of instances I would like to dwell on in my long reporting career as a journalist where I faced conflicting sentiments. Both these instances relate to news articles that pertained to India’s legendary opener, Sunil Manohar Gavaskar. In my early years at the Free Press Journal, when I was working under editor (late) DM Silviera, a man named Leo Rebello walked into our office.
Being the day-calls reporter, I promptly gave him an audience to ascertain whether there was any news story worth publishing. He began with his qualifications and personal details. I gave him a patient hearing as he continued with the narrative. Subsequently, I asked him, “What exactly is the news point you want to communicate.” He then directly came up with his grievance. “I am more qualified and eligible for the post of Sheriff of Bombay. However, they have opted for Sunil Gavaskar as the sheriff. I want to protest against this move and push forth the cause of my eligibility.”
At that point of time, though not altogether raw, being a cricket buff, I had my own leaning when it came to cricketing idols. I bluntly told Rebello, “I am a fan of Sunny Gavaskar. I am happy that he has been chosen to be our sheriff. I don’t feel inclined to carry your point of view.” Leo Rebello walked into our editor’s cabin and launched into his narration ending with my having deferred his request to lobby for his being appointed as sheriff.
Our editor was of a sporting nature and laughed it off without much of a do about it. While that was in the early nineties, the second instance took place nearly a decade later, when I was a Special Correspondent in The Asian Age, Mumbai. Early that morning I got a call from our Resident Editor, Sujoy Gupta, telling me that the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is about to conduct raids. “Just find out the whereabouts, and also the people on their scanner. “ I had a very good equation with the DRI sleuths as in my years of crime reporting in the Free Press Journal I had already cultivated enough officers that are posted in the revenue intelligence departments, including Customs, DRI, Central Excise, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Enforcement Directorate (ED).
My contact at DRI informed me cryptically that the action was going to take place elsewhere and not the DRI. As our conversation proceeded a hint was dropped that action might be taking place at the ED. Immediately, I took a taxi to the ED Nariman Point office and was met by my colleague in the Gujarati Press, namely Mohammed Usman. Usman and I were just walking to and fro inside the compound of the Mittal Court building when we saw Sunil Gavaskar walking in. As crime reporters, we both understood that it was about money found in Sunny Gavaskar’s locker some time back.
That evening, Sujoy after seeing the report I filed, asked if there were any reactions from Sunny? I replied in the negative and promptly made a call to Gavaskar’s residence for reactions. There was no response and the story had left my desk. Here too, I felt a bit reluctant to file the report. Yes, such moments happen in a reporter’s life.
