Bhairavi's ex-boyfriend accused of making extortion calls to celebrity publicist Dale Bhagwagar.

Recently, Malaika Arora and her manager Dipali were in the news for undercutting some celebrity managers and directly dealing with a client. Apparently, the Cine and TV artiste Managers, Secretaries and PROs Forum (CAMS) has issued a show-cause notice to Malaika Arora and her secretary asking why they should not be banned for unethical business practices. Similarly, Futuristic Media Network, the aggrieved firm has also sent out legal notices to both Malaika Arora and Car Maker Audi.

Right on the heels of this incident, Bollywood PR specialist Dale Bhagwagar - who has been associated with celebrities like Hrithik Roshan, Shilpa Shetty, Priyanka Chopra, Esha Deol, Randeep Hooda and Vivek Oberoi - received a threatening extortion call this week.

According to a complaint registered at the Oshiwara Police Station, an unknown caller who identified himself as "SK", demanded Rs 4.5 lakh from Bhagwagar. The Police traced the call to one Faheem Khan, who was then summoned to the Police Station. According to Oshiwara police sources, it was revealed that the caller worked for a firm known as Temptations Foods and had called Bhagwagar at the behest of his chairman Vineet Kumar who was earlier having a roaring affair with Bhairavi. It is learnt that Bhairavi was earlier living in a flat provided by Vineet Kumar and that Kumar had funded most of her expenses, including her PR and media expenses. Then most of her business and work-related decisions were taken by Vineet Kumar.

According to a report on a TV channel, Vineet Kumar is close to a top NCP leader and has joint business interests with other politicians. His company is also funded by the chief of a national political outfit.

Khan confessed to the Police, he had made the call on behalf of Vineet Kumar, who Bhagwagar remembers as being introduced to him two years ago by one of his ex-PR clients, actress Bhairavi Goswami (of 'Bheja Fry' and 'My Friend Ganesha' fame) as her "boyfriend".

"When I first received the call on my mobile late in the night, I thought someone was playing a prank. However, I soon realised, the caller was actually trying to extort money by threatening me of dire consequences, so I reported the matter to the Police," said Bhagwagar.

When queried further Dale said, "I'm in the business of creating goodwill, protecting images and reputations. Since my ex-client Bhairavi Goswami's name has come up in the matter, I would prefer not to take this issue any further at this stage, unless it becomes necessary."

Meanwhile, a non-cognisable offence (NC Number 4680108, Sections 504, 506 IPC) has been registered and the Police has warned the caller from contacting Bhagwagar in future. As per Bhagwagar's statement recorded in the NC, the caller threatened to 'kill or cause serious bodily harm' to Bhagwagar if he did not cough up the money.

According to police sources, Bhairavi was also having an affair with an elderly gentleman from the UK for about two months. This led to a lot of friction between Vineet Kumar and Bhairavi leading to a breakup. An angered Kumar is either trying to defame Bhairavi and tarnish her reputation or maybe get even with her or recover some of his investment after their breakup, said a police official, adding that if Dale Bhagwagar insists, a cognizable complaint or FIR can be registered under 506 (ii) which is non-bailable for threatening to cause death.

Bhairavi has flatly denied all these allegations. "Somebody is trying to defame me by making such false allegations or linking me with anti social or criminal activities. As an actress and model, I meet many people. I work with many people. Even if I was friendly to someone in the past, I have nothing to do with the concerned people today. I am not at all concerned with any calls they may make," she said adding that for the last one month she has been out of Mumbai.

The Cine Artiste Managers, Secretaries and PROs Forum (CAMS) – the unofficial body representing film secretaries and PROs have fully supported Dale Bhagwagar. A spokesperson for CAMS said, "Dale is a very senior publicist and a hardworking man. In case Bhairavi had a dispute over financial issues, she should have sent him a letter or notice. This is not the way to work. CAMS supports Dale fully and will also write to the Chief Minsiter and the Home Minister, besides the Commissioner of Police in this regard. We have had many such complaints about Bollywood artistes treating their Managers, Secretaries and PROs like toilet paper. They make them run about, extract maximum work out of them and then either deny them their dues and commission or file false police complaints against them to ensure that they don't demand their legitimate dues. It is a known fact in the industry that while Bollywood stars lead a lavish and expensive life and demand huge payments, their managers, secretaries and PROs are underpaid or at times not paid at all."

- Frank Franklyn (SAMPURN)