'Phone Calls At Odd Hours'

Journalism is all about interacting with a set of people -- in my case the underworld mafia, terrorists or white collar criminals. In my long inning (25 years), I have not faced major issues with them. But it would be wrong to say that problems don’t exist. Intimidation, veiled threats, subtle harrying tactics are common professional hazards. I have had my share of them too. There were unnerving moments. It is surely not a very good feeling when you know that you have been under surveillances of the mafia or the white collar sharks. It has been a tight rope walk for me--strictly working within professional limits while adhering to all legal parameters. 

More than the underworld mafia, it's the political and official class that is more adept at flexing muscles. Inviting for "tea, coffee or wine" is a common ploy to check if one is responding to the overtures and how far one can stretch a professional equation. There are phone calls at odd hours for discussing official matters the common excuse being "I was not getting time during office hours" The officialdom is more brazen and arrogant--phone tapping, dropping clues that one is being watched are common ways to create pressure or fear. And if you won't heed to such warnings then you might just find a dead cat outside your house!

Sheela Raval, Editor, Investigations: ABP news (formerly Star News). An edited version of this appears in print