Arch thief Najib is, it appears, on a long state visit to India. The term state visit is, of course, misused here as often. The Head of State, the Agong, is the only person who can make State visits outside Malaysia and the five day tour by the criminal Najib is a mere “official” visit. To describe it otherwise is just another indication of the megalomania by which this mega criminal is gripped.

More relevantly, why is India receiving him at all? The government of that huge country is a legally and honestly elected one and should not be seen to be treating with a major criminal like Najib. Any temporary financial or other advantages it may gain will not survive the change of government of which Malaysia is on the cusp.

It is not as though Najib’s criminal behaviour is unknown. The Government of India must be as aware as everyone else, given the damning statement of the US Department of Justice about the mega thefts by Najib and others from the Malaysian state fund 1MDB.

So to receive this criminal as a respected visitor must raise doubts in minds both inside India and elsewhere about the probity of the Prime Minister and Government of India. Surely those concerned do not wish this to be the case? But it will be unless India makes it clear that it is not condoning this massive illegality by the Malaysian Prime Minister.

New Delhi. Over to you.