Now, Chhota Shakeel threatens Sonu Niigaam

Singer-turned-actor Sonu Niigaam has become the latest Bollywood personality to approach the police over threat calls from an underworld don believed to be based in Pakistan.

He has told senior police officers that Chhota Shakeel, member of the Dawood Ibrahim gang, made multiple calls and sent several texts last month asking him to cancel his deal with an event management company and sign up with another the don has chosen. The firm is handling his world tour next year.

Shakeel threatened Niigaam that if he did not comply, he would malign his image by ’exposing’ his friendship with an influential woman from a prominent family in Mumbai.

Niigaam is out of the city on a scheduled programme and has not yet recorded his detailed statement or filed an FIR, said an officer. He was also not available to TOI for comment. But a report mentioning the threat to Niigaam has been prepared and sent to departments concerned. It’s also been decided to provide him police protection.

"The gangster recommended a person’s name and wanted Niigaam to organize the (world tour) concerts through him. We asked Niigaam to provide all the details and register an FIR. He is busy and we expect him to visit us soon," said a senior crime branch officer. Most police officers remained tight-lipped on the details.

Niigaam has planned a world tour in 2014 in which he, along with other film stars, will perform around 12 stage shows in different countries and signed an agreement with a company to handle the event.

But Shakeel wants Niigaam to sign a new agreement with Altaf, who is based in Dubai. "Nigam has already signed the agreement and legally, he can’t cancel it. But Shakeel and Altaf are pressuring him to sign a new one," said an officer.

Last month, Shakeel as well as Altaf called Niigaam several times. When Niigaam refused to entertain the calls, Shakeel began sending texts with details of his personal life in a bid to blackmail him. In one SMS, he claimed that he had an audio recording of Niigaam’s private conversation with his influential woman friend and threatened to circulate it.

A police source said the overseas events involving Bollywood stars are money-churners and the underworld often tries to get lucrative organizing rights through their fronts.