'So what if you have come from Chhota Shakeel? I won't change my stand!'

Bharati Dubey

Kapil Sibal, attorney to film financier Bharat Shah, on Tuesday, tried to argue that the film industry is under threat.

He also asserted that not only his client but all the witnesses in the Bharat Shah case have spoken to underworld gangster Chhota Shakeel more than once.

Sibal even hinted that most of them have been discussing projects with the underworld don while his client only tried to help the Moranis who came to him for help.

Bharat Shah was arrested on January 8 under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act for allegedly developing links with the underworld to target film personalities for personal gains. Shah denied the charges.

On Monday, Shah was admitted to Lilavati Hospital, Bombay, for an angiogram test.

Kapil Sibal then read out Rakesh Roshan's (one of the witnesses) statement at the Bombay High Court: "Nazim Rizvi came to my office in August 2000 to sign on Hrithik Roshan for his next film. I told him that Hrithik was busy till 2002 and had no dates available.

"He insisted that I give him the dates and it was in my own interest. I told him there was no chance. He then threatened me by saying that he had come from Chhota Shakeel.

"I said, 'So what if you have come from Chhota Shakeel? I won't change my stand'.

"Rizvi came back after a week and asked me the same question. I told him I am not going to change my stand. He pulled out his mobile phone and dialled a number and said, 'Bhai se baat karo.

"The man at the other end identified himself as Chhota Shakeel and asked me to accommodate dates for Rizvi."

Kapil Sibal added, "Roshan told Shakeel that he would want to know the story and director before his son signed the film."