Bollywood financier Bharat Shah receives life threat

Mumbai, Mar 6 (UNI) Diamond merchant and Bollywood film financier Bharat Shah today said he had received threatening calls, allegedly from henchmen of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim over a Royal Palms property at Goregaon in western suburbs, which he had purchased from a party.

Talking to UNI over phone, Mr Shah said he had received two threat to life calls - one on March 3 and the other on March 4 - at his residence in South Mumbai.

The caller said 'Mai Dubai se Shetty bol raha hoon, Muje duniya jaanti hai, tu Royal Palms ki property se bahar aaja aur ushe chhod de, nahi toh tujhe aur tere parivar ko khatam kardenge,'' adding ''Jo tu media aur police ko likhakar bhejraha hai, woh bhi bandh kar.'' The property belongs to one Amir.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dhananjay Kamlakar today said Mr Shah had lodged a complaint with the Malabar Hill police station two days back. They were looking into the matter, he said.

Mr Shah said he was arrested under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA) for his alleged nexus with underworld don Chhota Shakeel and was convicted under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and had to suffer one year Rigorous Imprisonment and fine. Since, he had already undergone 14 months' imprisonment during the probe, he did not have to go to jail after the verdict was pronounced by MCOCA Judge Ashok Bhangale.

Apart from 'Devdas' and 'Satya', Mr Shah has financed Bollywood films 'China Gate', 'Lajja', 'Mast', 'Pukar' and 'Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam'.

UNI