Bharat Shah held for mafia links

Earlier, Shah in his statement to the police on December 15 denied having any links with the underworld. He told investigators that he had invested Rs 12.7 crore in the film.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (detected) Shankar Kamble, Shah has been booked under section 3 (3) and (4) of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act 1999 and remanded to police custody till January 18.

A senior police officer said there is substantial evidence to suggest that Shah was dealing with gangsters. He was aiding and abetting gang activities relating to financing of Bollywood films, the officers added.

Shah’s arrest came hot on the heels after the producer of Chori Chori Chupke Chupke Nizim Rizvi was arrested on December 13 last year. His assistant Abdul Rahim Allahbax Khan was booked six days later under section 120(B), 302 read with 115 of MCOCA.

The police are now investigating into the Rs 100 crore pumped into BSE by underworld don Dawood Ibrahim through Bharat Shah. The money was invested by one Ketan Parekh in companies like Padmalaya Telefilms, Balaji Telefilms, Mukta Arts, Global Tele-systems and SSI sources informed.

Officers of the crime branch are trying to nab one ‘Bhatija’, who pumped around $ 50,000 for financing Chori Chori Chupke Chupke. The police suspect the money was given to Shah at the behest of Chhota Shakeel.

The other members of the tinsel world who are likely to be questioned by the crime branch are one Noorani, Afzal and Mansoor. Shah, with the help of the trio, were believed to be involved in buying right of disputed films, later sold at a premium. Shah was escorted to the MCOCA court under tight security around 3.20 pm in the evening. The diamond exporter was ushered in his own Maruti Esteem car before being driven to the police headquarters two hours later where he is lodged at the Crime Intelligence Unit cell.

Shah’s relatives and friends were shocked after the businessman was arrested. Some were heard saying the crime branch must have gathered sufficient evidence before laying their hands on ‘big daddy’.