In a startling revelation, a former top cop, Rakesh Maria, has shared details of a tip-off he received months before the assassination of T-Series founder, Gulshan Kumar, in 1997. The information, which pointed to a plot orchestrated by underworld figure Abu Salem, warned of an imminent attack on Kumar.

According to Maria, the tip-off came late at night on April 22, 1997, from an informant who said in Hindi, "Sir, Gulshan Kumar ka wicket girne wala hai" (Sir, Gulshan Kumar is about to be assassinated). The informant specified that Abu Salem was planning the murder and that Kumar would be targeted at the Shiva temple he frequented every morning.

Maria, then Assistant Inspector General (Law and Order, and Crime) as a Staff Officer to the DGP, Arvind Inamdar, took immediate action. With no mobile phones available at the time, he found himself restless after receiving the call. He contacted film producer Mahesh Bhatt, asking if he knew Gulshan Kumar and if Kumar visited a Shiva temple regularly. Maria also told Bhatt the reason for his inquiry.

After Bhatt confirmed the information, Maria instructed him to warn Kumar against leaving his house and assured him that the Crime Branch would provide protection. Subsequently, the Crime Branch was briefed and protection was extended to Gulshan Kumar.

Despite these efforts, Gulshan Kumar was shot dead outside a Shiva temple on August 12, 1997. Maria expressed shock at the news, especially since protection had been arranged. He later learned that while the Mumbai Police had provided security, Kumar also had a large contingent of guards from the Uttar Pradesh Police due to his factory in Noida.

The investigation into Gulshan Kumar's murder led to the conviction of Abdul Rauf alias Daud Merchant in 2002. However, the alleged involvement of music composer Nadeem Saifi also surfaced, with public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam recently labeling Nadeem as the "mastermind" behind the murder. Nikam suggested a possible rivalry between singers associated with Kumar and Nadeem as a motive. Nadeem, who has resided in the UK and Dubai since the late 1990s, has consistently denied any involvement in the crime.

Adding another layer to the events, it was revealed that Gulshan Kumar had confided in Vikram Singh, inspector-general of police, Meerut, about threats from Nadeem and underworld figures just nine days before his death. However, Singh did not inform the Mumbai Police.

Rakesh Maria's recent disclosure sheds light on the intelligence available to the Mumbai Police prior to Gulshan Kumar's murder and the efforts made to protect him. It also raises questions about why the provided protection failed to prevent the tragic event.