Rizvi claims, Shah counter claims!

A piquant situation today arose in the case involving the Bollywood-underworld nexus with producer Nazim Rizvi and financier Bharat Shah making counter claims on the seized negatives of the film, Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, and the prosecution urging appointment of court receiver to release the film and deposit the proceeds in government treasury.

Special public prosecutor Rohini Salian, responding to Shah's plea for the release of the film's negatives, informed a special court that the film producer and accused Nazim Rizvi had revealed during interrogations his right over the release of the controversial film.

Both Shah and Rizvi are being tried under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), for their alleged nexus with the underworld and had made counter claims of rights over CCCC.

Under the circumstances, it would be not be proper to release the film's negatives to either of them, Salian said.

Moreover, she said, the case of police is that it has been financed by Karachi-based gangster Chhota Shakeel and thus the film became an incriminating material, she said.

The prosecutor has suggested that in the interest of justice, the court may give its ruling on the rights of the film after the conclusion of the trial so that no prejudice was caused to any of the accused. Till then, she said the film's negatives should not be released to anyone.

Shah's counsel urged for time till January 17 to file his submissions on the prosecution's prayer for appointment of court receiver. Accordingly, the designated judge A P Bhangale has adjourned the matter until then.

Shah has prayed in a petition that he had obtained the world rights over the film in lieu of financing Rs 12.7 crore to Rizvi's firm for making the film. He claimed to be in possession of documents to prove his contention and offered to produce them in the court.

In a related development, Rizvi's assistant and co-accused, Abdul Rahim Allah Baksh, was today produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody for the first time.

He was arrested on December 21 and remanded to police custody. The police has alleged that Abdul Rahim acted as a conduit between Chhota Shakeel and Rizvi. He was reportedly Shakeel's man in Bollywood and had aimed at targetting film personalities on behalf of the underworld.

Police also claim to have recorded telephonic talks between Rizvi, Abdul Rahim and Chhota Shakeel which allegedly reveal their nexus with the underworld.

Both Rizvi and Abdul Rahim have been confronted with the recorded conversation during interrogation.

The cops also claim to possess recorded telephonic talks of Bharat Shah with the Karachi-based gangster. He has been booked under MCOCA on the basis of such nexus with the underworld.