THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: “A poor woman who sells batata vada called me just before you rang up. She offered Rs 5,000 for the project. A senior citizen who is a widow, promised to give Rs 5,000 from her husband’s savings,” said former journalist Subramani Balakrishnan who made a successful bid of Rs 4.28 crore for Delhi Zaika, a restaurant owned underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in Bhendi Bazar area of south Mumbai.
Balakrishnan’s NGO Desh Seva Samiti has paid Rs 30 lakh and the remaining amount has to be arranged within a month. “We are looking for contributions from individuals, NGOs, philanthropists and social media. Our idea is to open a computer centre for poor children and women of Bhendi Bazar. It will be named after freedom fighter Ashfaqullah Khan,” he said ruing that none of the Bollywood bigwigs have come up for the cause.
Sixty three-year-old Balakrishnan whose parents hailed from Palakkad, was born and brought up in Mumbai. “My father is from Kollengode and mother from Ramanathapuram. After marriage they came to Bombay in 1930’s and settled here. Father wanted me to handle family business of chemical products, but I continued with studies doing BA honours and LLB from Bombay University. While doing PG I joined a leading English daily as trai-nee journalist,” he said.
As a crime reporter, he used to meet the then reining don Vardarajan Mudaliar and other gangsters. During a career spanning over three decades, he covered all top gangsters including D company. “I found gangsters more humane than others. Once they give you their word, they stand by it unlike politicians who keep changing.”
Dawood’s aide Chotta Shakeel sent him a message asking about his participation in the auction. “I am not afraid of threats. It is my national duty. It was shameful that there was no one in a nation of 120 crore to bid for the property,” he said.
When asked about the criticism he was only a front for gangsters, Mr Balakrishnan said, “Let them come on record. No point making baseless charges.”
On whether Balakrishnan has any connection with with Kerala now, he says, “We committed a big mistake selling off family house at Ramanathapuram. There are a couple of distant relatives at my native place. I come to Kerala sometimes to offer prayers at Guruvayur. It’s a special feeling when I stand before Guruvayurappan,”
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