Mumbai: The parents of actress Shilpa Shetty, Surendra and Sunanda, appear to be in a tight spot with Surat police gathering clinching evidence against them in a case of alleged extortion.

The excerpts of telephonic talks allegedly reveal how Shilpa's parents used the underworld to recover modelling dues of Rs 80 lakhs payable to the actress by a saree manufacturer in Surat. Shilpa's father Surendra got bail from a court after a case was registered against him and his wife.

According to a top police official in Surat, the threats were issued by Malaysia-based gangster Fazal-ur- rehman alias Fazlu and his man Uday Shetty to industrialist Shivnarain alias Pankaj Agarwal. The first call was made on March 24 and later the calls were repeated. Agarwal allegedly talked to Shilpa's parents and they too advised him to pay the money.

Uday Shetty first talked to Agarwal and asked him to pay Rs two crore to settle Shilpa's account. Later, Fazlu spoke to him and demanded the money. However, Agarwal lodged a police complaint and the police taped the telephonic conversations.

PTI