In characteristic ICAC style, it all began suddenly, at the crack of dawn. Two prominent criminal lawyers, the chairman of a publicly listed company, a solicitor's clerk and two others were arrested. Dozens of journalists were taken in for questioning after raids on seven newspaper offices - including the South China Morning Post - and a journalist's home.
So began a saga that dominated the front pages of newspapers long after the suspects were released. A tearful press conference and a rare emergency meeting of the watchdog Independent Commission Against Corruption Operations Review Committee ensued. Anger at the raids spiralled into calls for the anti-corruption body's 'draconian' and 'sweeping' powers to be curtailed. Calls emerged for a human rights commission to monitor the potent body.