Gangsters zoom in on TV industry

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Posted: 19 years ago

Gangsters zoom in on TV industry
By: Nishant Bhuse

TV director Anand Mahendroo was shot at in Andheri on Wednesday. The police suspect gangster Fazl-ur-Rehman's hand in the attack

After terrorising Bollywood, gangsters have now turned their attention to the Rs 1,200 crore Indian television industry.

"Bhai ko Dubai mein phone kar aur paise ka settlement kar nahin toh tere g@%^* mein goli dalega. Aaj kal TV par bahut shine ho raha hai". This is the kind of extortion calls gangsters are making to TV stars and producers these days.

After the attack on TV director and producer Anand Mahendroo on Wednesday, the underworld has given clear indications of their comeback.

Modus operandi

A key person of the gang lures upcoming actors, technicians, makeup artists and publicists to acquire information (direct contacts, mobile numbers, shooting schedules, etc) about top television actors, directors and producers. These people are suitably rewarded by the gangsters. (See Rate Card)

"These informers are rewarded suitably according to the market value of the target and kind of information provided," said a Crime Branch official.

Small-time gangs

According to a highly-placed source at the Crime Branch, around nine extortion complaints have been registered with the Mumbai Police since the beginning of the year and all the victims are from the film and television industry.

"Threats from the big gangs have diminished but smaller gangs like Fazl-ur-Rehman and Ravi Pujari continue to issue threats. The Mahendroo firing was actually a sign to create terror in the Tellywood circuit", said a Crime Branch officer.

Mum's the word

No reply despite two SMS-es

Ekta Kapoor,
Producer,
Balaji Telefilms

I haven't received any calls. If I do, I'll tell them that I'm doing only one show and I spend everything I earn. I don't hoard money that they can extort.

Manish Goyal
Actor,
Tilak, Bhabhi, one of the highest-paid TV actors

I haven't got any such calls. The only way to deal with any kind of extortion is to fight it. First find out if it's a real extortion and then inform the police.

Vipul D Shah
Producer-director, Optimystix production

No. I haven't received any such calls.

Manish Goswami,
Producer, Siddhant Cinevision (Sarrkkar on Zee, Kituu Sabb Jaanti Hai on Sahara One)

Stars targeted

Mona Singh, Jassi
TV actress Jassi aka Mona Singh had received extortion calls in September, 2005 from one Vicky from Nairobi. The Mumbai police nabbed three persons, who confessed to the crime.

Nikki Aneja Walia, Simran (Astitva ek prem Kahani)
Aneja had received obscene phone calls from March 2004, which further turned into threats and then to extortion. The Oshiwara police are yet to solve the case.

Rate card
Price they get for passing on information:

• Assistant director
Rate: Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000
• Production manager
Rate: Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000
• Upcoming actors, singers and publicists
Rate: Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000
• Makeup artists, hairdressers
Rate: Rs 15,000 to Rs 50,000
• Drivers
Rate: Rs 15,000 to Rs 50,000
• Spot boys
Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000