Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has directed the city police to restore protection to a city-based developer who has allegedly been receiving repeated death threats and extortion demands in the name of underworld gangster Chhota Shakeel.The developer had moved the Bombay high court against the decision of the Protection Review Committee to withdraw the security cover earlier provided to him. The petitioner had filed a writ petition in court stating that he continued to receive fresh threats after the protection was discontinued.The court issued notice to the state and directed the police to produce the original records of the meeting held on Dec 18, 2025. The matter has been posted for further hearing on April 15. The court stayed the operation of the decision taken in the committee meeting and ordered that two armed constables be provided as security. The builder has been directed to deposit three months’ protection charges in advance through a bank guarantee amounting to Rs 14 lakh.The developer had recently alleged that he received another death threat last Friday when a handwritten note and a live cartridge were left on his car in Versova. The note, written in Hindi and purportedly signed in the name of Chhota Shakeel, warned that the next bullet would be fired into his chest if he failed to comply with the demands. The Versova police on Tuesday registered a case in this connection.According to the developer, the threats are linked to a 12-acre redevelopment project in the Bandra-Kurla Complex area, where construction work is currently underway. He has alleged that he has been receiving extortion demands of RS 50 crore in connection with the project.
