Contract hits in India

There’s a an unusual contract dispute brewing in the Indian film industry — one that involves not merely “contract” in its legal sense but “contract” in its underworld sense.

Bollywood actress Preeti Jain has apparently admitted that she agreed to pay contract killer Naresh Pardeshi an advance of 40,000 rupees to murder film-maker Madhur Bhandarkar.  Pardeshi then turned and allegedly hired subcontractor Gulfam Mohammed Ibrahim Shaikh, a/k/a Shamir, to help with the killing.  But Pardeshi says he was then contacted by gangster-turned-state-legislator Arun Gawli, who told him that Bhandarkar would pay him 50,000 rupees more than Jain to get the contract “cancelled.”  Five people have been arrested; no word on whether Pardeshi will get the cash for calling off the hit.

[Frank Snyder]