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Journalism of Courage
If the word Chikna for a bearded Abu Salem in the Chhota Shakeel-Sanjay Dutt tapes confused you, here’s a guide through the underworld maze of nicknames.
Salem first. Underworld insiders say when he entered the crime world, he was handsome. So they called him chikna. And if you don’t understand the rest of the X,Y,Z of the underworld, here’s the A,B,C,D of it…
Muchad/Bade Miyan: Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar (His moustache and seniority).
Charsi: Noora Ibrahim Kaskar (Fondness for drugs).
Chhote Miyan: Anees Ibrahim Kaskar (Dawood’s younger brother).
Chhota Shakeel: Sheikh Shakeel Sheikh Babu Mohideen Sheikh (There were two Shakeels around 1985. Since Sheikh Babu is 5’2’’ he became Chhota Shakeel. He is also Haji Saheb and enemies call him ‘Pav takla’ as he is bald).
Faeem Machmach: Mohammed Faeem Mohammed Mohammed Sharif Khan (Talks too much).
Chhota Rajan/Nana: Rajendra Nikalje (The big one in Tilak Nagar, Chembur, was his guru, Rajan Nair. His associates call him Nana).
Guru: Gurunath Satam (Obvious).
Vangia: Anil Parab, a Dawood aide (Short and stocky, so they call him a brinjal).
Ravan: Amar Naik.
Daddy: Arun Gawli; Mummy: Asha Gawli (Arun’s wife).
Iqbal Mirchi: Iqbal Mohammed (Family had chilli business).
Panditji/Shastriji/ Babloo: Om Prakash Shrivastava (Has a Benaras Hindu University Masters).
Farhan Bhai: Aftab Ansari.
Tiger Memon: Ibrahim Mustaq Memon (His father wanted him to emulate Tiger Pataudi.)
Salim Kutta: Salim Shah, a Shakeel aide (Used to bite foes).
Anna: Sharad Shetty, a Dawood aide (From the south).
