4 from tinsel town arrested for extortion

MUMBAI: The connection between Bollywood and underworld elements is the stuff of lore. Sometimes the subject is broached in self-referential films. Sometimes it happens the other way round. Like in this case.
An event manager gangs up with an associate who lays claim to working as an assistant director with Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul. The duo, promising two of their contacts a firmer foothold in tinsel town, makes them part of a harebrained crime plot.Their target, a smalltime producer, is undaunted and reports them to the police. All four land in jail, but not before throwing tantrums, including the event manager invoking the name of Union ministers.
"Tariq Bhat (the 'assistant director', a Kashmiri) was struggling for several years. To arrange a visa for his wife, he gave Rs 2 lakh to Salim Khan, who failed to accomplish the task. When Tariq demanded his money back, Salim suggested they form a gang and extort the amount from Sikandar Mirza, who was known to them," said deputy commissioner of police K M M Prasanna.
Salim convinced two people known to him, Mohsin and Jalal Khan, to join the enterprise with the promise that he would help give them a break in showbiz. The gang bought two mobile phone handsets and a SIM card with forged documents. Jalal procured a country-made pistol from UP.
On November 3, Tariq and Jalal went near a coffee shop at Lokhandwala, Andheri (W), where they found Mirza chatting with someone. Tariq fired on Mirza and fled. Mirza thought he had heard the burst of a firecracker. But he panicked upon seeing blood oozing out of his leg. He rushed to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and got treated for the injury. The next day, he received an SMS which said the bullet had intentionally been aimed at his leg and that if he wanted to live, he should cough up Rs 50 lakh.
Mirza went to the police. He produced from his wallet credit card, in which the bullet had lodged itself. The injuries Mirza sustain ed were owing to the splinters in the bullet.
The police registered Mirza's case, but had a tough time dealing with his assailants and also witnesses, many of whom went on to allege harassment in the hands of the cops when they were called for questioning. Some even went to court. "We traced Tariq and recovered the weapon from his residence. He led us to the other accused," said Prasanna, contended with the conclusion of the case. The police said the gang had even threatened singer Abhijit. The reason is not known.