Money laundering is generally much more sophisticated these days than in the days of Bollywood twenty years ago when gangsters would allegedly hand over a suitcase full of cash to a director on the promise of getting a bigger suitcase back later – and a part for their latest girlfriend in the new movie. These days, and not just in Bollywood, offshore companies and shell enterprises are used as investment houses in construction projects, the leisure industry and share dealings as a cleaner way of bringing the estimated $3 trillion worldwide that organised crime earns back into the regular economy.
However, shades of the old Bollywood still occasionally manifest themselves – as Sajid Nadiadwala has just found to his cost. Armed gangsters burst into his home and demanded he ring the telephone number of known gangster Ejaz Lakdawala. “They left a number asking me to call Ejaz but I reported it to the police who have provided me with an additional security,” said Sajid. The gangster is apparently expecting some money in relation to the movie Housefull.
In further gangster-related news, Sanjay Dutt apparently has a fan in Jamir Haji Ali Shaikh, a leading member of the Chhota Shakeel gang. Apparently, Jamir likes to dress and imitate Sanjay’s speech so much so that he has become known as Sanju Baba in the actor’s honour. Jamir allegedly looks after Chhota’s extortion interests.
