Salman Khan to be questioned

Bollywood star Salman Khan has cancelled his visit to South Africa for a film shooting after the police said he would be quizzed over the underworld's links to the movie industry, well informed sources said.

The crime branch of Mumbai Police is to interrogate Salman for an episode that involved the underworld playing a role to allegedly influence him to reduce his fees in "Chori Chori Chupke Chupke", produced by Nasim Rizvi and financed by Bharat Shah, through money sent from abroad by mobster Chhota Shakeel.

Shah and Rizvi have been found guilty in that case. Chhota Shakeel, who reportedly lives in the Middle East, is a lieutenant of Dawood Ibrahim, India's most wanted underworld figure.

"We have summoned Salman Khan after his name cropped up during the interrogation of Anjum Adam Phajalani in the Bharat Shah case," said Deputy Commissioner of Police D.T. Shinde.

Phajalani, an alleged Chhota Shakeel aide, was deported from Dubai Nov 21 with nine other gang members and booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

Phajalani reportedly confessed that Salman reduced his fees in the film after he (Phajalani) threatened the actor, citing his closeness to Shakeel.

Phajalani said he had a "causal chat with Salman to make the actor understand why he should work in the film".

Chief Public Prosecutor Rohini Salian Wednesday: "Salman was also forced to reduce his fees. His standard rate per film at the time of the release of 'Chori Chori Chupke Chupke' was about Rs.40 million and he reportedly worked in the film for Rs.15 million."

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