MAY 26: On Sunday, the Mumbai crime branch's anti-extortion cell registered a complaint about the highest-ever demand made by the underworld in Mumbai -- the amount was Rs 5 crore and the gangster behind it, Chhota Shakeel.

It could well be the new benchmark for extortion. Until last week, the cell had received a complaint against apparently reformed don Arun Gawli for allegedly demanding Rs 2 crore from a businessman.

Although the two demands were made rather amateurishly over the phone, the callers claimed to be representing Dubai-based Shakeel and the still very much resident Gawli, said a top officer of the crime branch.

According to police records of 1997 so far, Shakeel's demand usually ranges from a minimum of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore, while his rival Chhota Rajan starts as low as Rs 7,000 and goes up to Rs 25 lakh. Gawli's extortion rate swings from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50 lakh.

Despite the best efforts of the sectional police and the crime branch, extortion is rampant as ever.

Till date this year, the police have received a total of 61 extortion complaints of which Shakeel is involved in six, Rajan in three, and Sada Pawle or Arun Gawli in only four. The rest were against local goons.

Contrary to the common perception and despite his own claims that he has gone straight, the police maintain that Gawli is still calling the shots. ``In today's gangland, it is he who reigns supreme,'' says additional commissioner of police, Crime, S P S Yadav.

Only this time the self-proclaimed do-gooder is using his alter-ego, Sada Mama alias Sada Pawle, to run his empire. The crime branch is still confused about their connection. Initially it was believed that Pawle had fallen out with Gawli but there nothing seemed to indicate that.

In fact, the very murder of millowner Vallabhbhai Thakkar last month by Pawle men has foxed the police. The victim had some 15-16 disputed properties in and around Mumbai. In one of his prime properties at Walkeshwar, when one of his tenants refused to evict, Thakkar had allegedly hired Gawli for the job.

Sharma said the don offered Rs 7 crore to the tenant suggesting that they split it between themselves, the tenant keeping Rs 5 crore.

But the stand-off continued. Pawle then entered the picture. He was offered something between Rs 30 lakh to Rs 1.2 crore to evict the tenant. Sources say Pawle could not have accepted the job without his boss's approval.

It may be noted that soon after his return from the Aurangabad prison last year, Gawli had told Express Newsline that he had asked his lieutenants ``Pawle and Keshav Anna(Kanjur Marg) to take over'' from him.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.