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Bollywood-underworld nexus: Key witness identifies Bharat Shah

A key witness [identity protected] in the case of alleged nexus of Bollywood with underworld on Wednesday identified film financier Bharat Shah, saying he was the same person whose voice was recorded by the police to match with the one figuring in conversation with Pakistan-based gangster Chhota Shakeel.

Interestingly, Shah told the court that he had never seen the witness before. He also said he did not remember whether the police had recorded his voice.

Deposing before the designated judge, A P Bhangale, the witness said he was called to the crime branch office two years ago and in his presence the cops recorded the voice of Shah.

He said Shah was asked to read out a printed material kept before him and his voice was recorded in a cassette.

Shah's lawyer Srikant Shivde urged for a copy of the cassette containing his client's sample voice.

Earlier, Ratan Jain, director of the Venus music company, told defence lawyer Harshad Ponda in cross-examination that he had never talked to Shakeel on telephone.

To another defence counsel Majeed Memon, the witness said that Shakeel was a common name among Muslims.

Hearing an alleged conversation between him and Shakeel, Jain denied the voice but said it sounded similar to his own. As regards contents of the alleged conversation, Jain said he could not remember what he had spoken.

On the police allegation that he had talked to Shakeel to seek his help in recovering Rs 2.1 million from film director Raj Kanwar, Jain told Memon that the question did not arise because the amount was adjusted in his film Dhai Akshar Prem Ke.

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