Mumbai: : Film actor Salman Khan today (May 26, 2004) filed a petition in Bombay High Court urging for a direction to the court receiver to pay him dues of Rs 25 lakh from the proceeds of Hindi film, 'Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'.

The film was attached by a special court, which had tried the case of alleged nexus of Bollywood and the underworld.

Salman came to the court personally for filing the petition. He was accompanied by lawyers Majid Memon and Pervez Memon.

The petition will come up for hearing in the first week of June when the court reopens after summer vacation. Salman's father, Salim Khan, had filed a petition using power of attorney given by the actor. However, the court insisted Salman to appear in person, as in criminal proceedings power of attorney is not applicable.

Salman pleaded that he had agreed to act in the main lead role for Rs 1.75 crore, of which he was paid Rs 1.5 crore. The balance of Rs 25 lakh was outstanding, he said.

The actor said the problem started long ago when he had asked court receiver to pay him outstanding dues of Rs 25 lakhs from the proceeds of the film.

However, the court receiver told him that he had delayed in staking his claim. When he (court receiver) had put up notice inviting claims, Salman did not respond, but when the accounts had been settled, the actor was asking for his claim, the court receiver told Salman Khan.

The court receiver had then asked actor to approach the special court for recovery of dues. Accordingly, Salman urged designated judge, A P Bhangale, who asked him to wait till the trial was over.

However, after the trial, the actor was not paid his dues and the matter went upto the high court in appeal filed by the State as well as the accused. Therefore, Salman had no choice but to move the high court for recovery of Rs 25 lakh.

The special court had attached the film '`Chori Chori Chupke Chupke' and appointed court receiver, Santosh Jain to release the film and deposit its sale proceeds in Government treasury until the trial was over.

Film financier Bharat Shah, producer Naseem Rizvi and his assistant Abdul Rahim Allahbaksh, who were instrumental in making the film, were accused in the case.

The prosecution alleged that the film was made by Shah and Rizvi at the behest of Pakistan-based gangster, Chota Shakeel.

Rizvi and Abdul Rahim were convicted by the court. Even Shah was sentenced a year's prison term, but he was let off the hook as he had already spent the period in jail during the trial.