Just before launching his party, Sharma had declared that he would cut into Congress votes. In fact, he had dropped broad hints to several BJP leaders that by damaging the Congress, he could help them. As a result, sources say, a planned raid by the CBI was put off months ago. The Delhi Police, which is now taking credit for Sharma's arrest, never took action against him. When M.K. Subba, a Congress MP from Assam who is himself embroiled in several criminal cases, complained that his farmhouse at Chattarpur had been grabbed by Sharma, the police just registered a case. Sharma borrowed the farmhouse—like the helicopter—from Subba for 10 days and then forced him to sell it on paper to him. Sharma may be in custody, but police officials are quite amazed at his papers. He has got valid documents for each property accounted for in his name. "He cannot be put in jail for more than one month. Once he comes out he will make our lives miserable with his battery of lawyers," admits a top police officer.