Khabris sitting on the fence

It sounds like ketli chai se garam hain. It is a situation where the subordinate pretends to be bigger than the boss.

"Saab Pinkybhai says he will get two informers bumped off in an encounter," said Gullu, an informer.

"Who is this new Pinkybhai? I knew Pinky as a small-time informer. Who is this new bhai?"

"He is the same Pinky. Now, he has developed contacts with encounter specialists and has reached a level where he is settling matters."

The groups of informers are planning to file cases against Ramuchacha and Anna to bring them under pressure. I mean the crime branch chief and commissioner, as they are known in the underworld lingo.

"Have you heard of Sunny? They were orchestrating to have him murdered. He escaped by recording their conversations and the plot surrounding his murder," said the informer.

For a moment I realised that the informers have indeed, come of age; some even hold press conferences. At least one of them is suspected to be involved with the murder of Chhote Mian, if the underworld grapevine is to be believed.

Dons are now offering supari through informers, who have become an important link between gangs and some tainted policemen.

Being part of the underworld is just like working for a white-collar organisation. Position here too, is based on hierarchy, mostly importantly, experience. There is a very clear distinction between them and the shooters.

Now, some of the qualified informers have developed their managerial skills and are willing to work extra for more money. This is added income to that earned from sharing information with cops and blackmailing dhoors or targets.

These informers have taken up contract killing as an alternative profession for a very good reason. If an informer is arrested, often he does not have anybody to bail him out.

But, with contacts in the underworld, he can depend on gangs to get him out, or provide him dabba in jail.