India, Sept. 8 -- 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. Somewh...