The Hindu : New Delhi News : Biggies remain in the ether

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Saturday, Apr 23, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Biggies remain in the ether

Close links between pimps and the powerful remain a taboo subject, says Prashant Pandey

The arrest of one of the most high-profile alleged pimps in the Capital, Kanwaljit Singh, this past Tuesday has shed light not only on the flourishing flesh trade in the upper echelons of society but also hinted at the close links that such people have with those in positions of power. Though such links are a matter for concern, they are seldom discussed in the public domain.

Over the past couple of years, the Delhi police have busted several flesh trade rings that operated in the name of massage parlours or friendship clubs and even from farmhouses in which young men and women from well-to-do families were involved. Those concerned with the health of society concluded that the lure of quick and easy money and the inclination to seek instant gratification without caring for societal norms was leading to a decadent culture.

For that matter, the profile of both the call girls and the pimps has undergone a drastic change in the past. The traditional perception that both operate only from the seedy places in the city no longer holds true. People now know that if they have the money, "everything else" would be taken care of.

But this is only the "juicy" side of the story. While pimps and call girls often get caught and there is much song and dance about it, the real players -- who provide patronage to such operators -- seldom come into the spotlight. For that matter, there is not even an attempt to find out about the real players. And this is true for the police as well as the media.

In the case of Kanwaljit, for instance, the police were reluctant to reveal that he nurtured political ambitions. According to sources, he had set his eyes on making a rather grand entry into politics through the backdoor.

On the other hand, there was a lot of information on how Kanwaljit, who too incidentally belonged to a good family, came from Allahabad to Delhi as a struggler and graduated into becoming the kingpin of the notorious trade.

Again, this is not to say that the police have intentionally revealed the profile of the accused. It is an established practice with them and much of the media too is interested in the same. To an extent, the police may also be justified for being "practical" and not wanting to stir a hornet's nest by revealing the "big'' names. Particularly when they are not insulated from the political executive and, hence, have certain limitations.

But whatever the reasons, the likes of Kanwaljit and their "rise" may actually influence impressionable minds in the absence of the complete picture. While they will be aware of how Kanwaljit made fast and easy money while keeping the arm of law at bay, they would never be able to know about people who helped him create such a huge "empire".

Inevitably, therefore, they will conclude that getting away with crime and making easy money was possible if one had contacts in the right places.

Thus the presence of operators like Kanwaljit is not only a constant reminder of how the law enforcing machinery has completely failed but also an "encouragement" for many youngsters to follow suit. And in the absence of any willingness in all quarters to scratch beneath the surface, Kanwaljit and others of his ilk will have the proverbial last laugh.

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