Mumbai: A special court on July 25 heard an audiocassette containing telephonic talks between Pakistan-based gangster Chhota Shakeel and four film personalities, including actor Sanjay Dutt, which bared the alleged nexus of Bollywood with the underworld.

The cassette was played in the court in the presence of lawyers, accused and reporters. The prosecution had on July 24 examined a witness who said that this cassette was seized in his presence.

The court of designated judge A P Bhangale is hearing the case involving alleged nexus of gangster Shakeel with film financier Bharat Shah, producer Nasim Rizvi, his assistant Abdul Rahim Allah Baksh and Dubai-based alleged hawala operator Mohammed Shamshuddin.

Police had recorded a 45-minute telephonic talk Shakeel had with Dutt and filmmakers Harish Sughand, Sanjay Gupta and Mahesh Manjrekar on November 14, 2000.

Dutt, in a long chat with Shakeel, asked the gangster why he was asking extortion amounts from actress Preity Zinta. He pleaded with Shakeel not to ask money from her.

Shakeel, in response to Dutt's allegations, told him that he had not asked any amount of money from Preity. On the contrary, he said, Preity had worked in his film (Chori Chori Chupke Chupke) for which he had paid her.

"Hum yaar se aur jaan se kaisa paise mang sakte hain, (How can I ask money from a friend or a beloved)," Shakeel told Dutt. Shakeel said someone was asking money from Preity in his name and denied that he had done so.

PTI