http://www.ndtv.com/topstories/showtopstor...vealed&id=17316
A conversation that apparently took place four years ago has come back to haunt Bollywood actor Salman Khan.
Excerpts of a taped phone conversation between Salman and Aishwarya Rai were printed in English daily Hindustan Times today.
In the conversation, Salman can be heard bragging about his close ties with underworld criminals like Dawood Ibrahim and Abu Salem to threaten Aishwarya.
“I am connected with underworld. I know Abu Salem and Chhota Shakeel. I know Chhota Rajan. They will shoot you if they hear you talking to me like this,” said the voice on the tape.
Part of probe
The conversation was apparently tapped four years ago by the police as part of their investigations into the links between the film industry and the underworld.
Salman’s lawyers, however, have dismissed the tapes claiming they are doctored.
“This is not the voice of Salman Khan. If you hear the tape, you can make out it’s not Salman,” said Dipesh Mehta, the actor’s lawyer.
What’s also not clear is why the police didn’t act against Salman if they had these tapes four years ago.
“It is very difficult to comment at this stage. We have to investigate the matter further,” said Dhananjay Kamlakar, officer, Crime Branch.
The phone tapping dates back to the investigation into the Salman Khan film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke.
Storm stirred up
The police had tapped conversations between the financier of the film Bharat Shah and underworld don Chhota Shakeel. Salman was questioned at that time, but Shah and the film’s producer were arrested.
More than the underworld links, what’s stirred up a storm is the bit on the tape in which Salman is heard admitting that he knew about the Mumbai blasts.
“In the bomb blast, Sanjay Dutt wasn’t involved. It was me. Sanjay had nothing to do with it. I had all the information about the blasts. I did what I had to do. Now I am getting calls from Salem,” said the voice.
This provoked a strong reaction from the opposition for action against the actor.
“Why didn’t the police carry out an enquiry even after they had the tape? How did they overlook the conversation in this tape,” said BJP leader Gopinath Munde.
Meanwhile, both Salman and Aishwarya remained incommunicado throughout the day.