Bollywood still safe: Mumbai police
By Akanksha Warrier
MUMBAI: The assurance came on a day actor Shah Rukh Khan was provided additional police protection. The actor reportedly received a call from underworld don Ravi Pujari, warning him against working for producer Karim Morani. The actor’s office has denied receiving any such call.
Dhananjay Kamlakar, Joint Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, told reporters, “This is a one-off incident. This does not mean that the underworld is back or there is fear in Bollywood.”
Media reports are making the rounds saying that Pujari wants overseas distribution rights in Shahrukh’s upcoming movie Happy New Year. Also other claims include news that the don wants the megastar to perform in a concert abroad free of charge. According to sources, the don organised the concert for one of his friends and hence, he contacted the Moranis, close friends of Shahrukh and incidentally the co-producers of Happy New Year. It was not for any extortion or threat but a request of SRK.
The reports of the alleged call come just days after unidentified gunmen fired five rounds outside Morani’s residence in suburban Juhu, Mumbai. Both local police and the Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch are investigating the case.
Meanwhile, a media report quoted Pujari as saying, “I have a great respect for Shahrukh Khan and a call was made to Red Chillies landline and a receptionist was contacted.” “It was not for any extortion or threat but a request to be passed on to SRK not to work with people who are linked to Dawood or Rajan such as Morani brothers,” the don added.
A source close to the star, however, dismissed all news and claimed that the Bollywood actor did not receive any threatening messages from any underworld don.
P S Pasricha, former police commissioner, told NDTV, “Most criminals like Dawood Ibrahim and Chota Rajan are lying low these days. Now people like Ravi Pujari want to come into the market. Unless he creates fear in the minds of the common man, how will he succeed?”
Once in a while, the underworld does try to make a comeback, said Pasricha, but added that the police are capable of tackling such elements.