Black Friday 2007

On March 9th, 1993, Gul Mohammed, a low-level thug, found himself in the unenviable position of being detained at Nav Pada police station. The ensuing brutality inflicted by the authorities would leave Gul writhing in pain, his body bearing the physical manifestations of their merciless tactics. Eventually, he cracked under the pressure, confessing to an elaborate conspiracy that had been brewing, one that threatened to unleash destruction upon the very fabric of Bombay. According to Gul’s coerced testimony, Tiger Menon, a notorious smuggler and mastermind, was poised to orchestrate a series of devastating attacks against various strategic locations, including the stock market, ministry offices, Shiv Sena Bhawan, train stations, and more. Gul claimed that numerous operatives had been trained by Tiger for this mission, their sinister intentions now set in motion.

Tiger Menon remained resolute in his plans, undeterred by Gul’s capture. The police, however, dismissed the confession as a desperate attempt to curry favor, failing to appreciate the gravity of the situation. Tragically, just three days later, on March 12th (Friday, the 17th day of Ramadan), Bombay was ravaged by a series of explosions that left a trail of destruction and claimed over 300 lives, with nearly 1,600 more injured.

As investigators, including Inspector Sawant (Ravi Kale) and Inspector Nandakumar Chaugule (Zakir Hussain), delved deeper into the aftermath of the blasts, they discovered that the RDX bombs had been smuggled into the city with the complicity of customs officials and border police. A crucial breakthrough came when a weapons-laden van was seized in Worli, revealing a passport belonging to Rubina Memon. Meanwhile, Tiger Menon met with Dawood Ibrahim (Vijay Maurya) in Dubai, assuming full responsibility for the blasts. Dawood, however, cautioned that escaping the police would be challenging for Tiger, given their knowledge of his involvement due to the van’s incriminating evidence.

As the investigation unfolded, a tip-off from a Chawl led Inspector Rakesh Maria and his team to a suspected scooter, which ultimately yielded a stash of RDX. The carelessness of the individual responsible for assembling the bomb had inadvertently saved countless lives. Rakesh’s team worked tirelessly to unravel the tangled threads of this complex case, their diligence driven by a determination to bring justice to the victims and their families.

A crucial breakthrough came when Rakesh investigated Rubina Memon, uncovering her connection to Tiger Menon as his sister. From her apartment, he learned the identity of Asgar Muqadam, Tiger’s trusted assistant, a revelation that would prove instrumental in dismantling the sinister network at the heart of this catastrophe.

Here’s my rephrased version:

On March 14, 1993, Asgar Muqadam (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), Tiger Memon’s trusted secretary, finds himself behind bars, the consequences of his arrest sparking a thorough police investigation. Under duress, Asgar reluctantly reveals the identities of those involved in the heinous plot: Ayub Memon (residing in Dubai) and Yakub Memon (based in India), along with a list of Tiger’s co-conspirators that includes Imtiaz Gawate (Pranay Narayan), Mushtaq Tarani (Raj Singh Chaudhary), Bashir Khan (Ashraful Haque), Shanawaz Qureshi (Asif Basra), Yakub, Ayub, Yeda Yakub (Dibyendu Bhattacharya), Mohammed Dossa (Ragesh Asthana), and Anwar Theba (Pankaj Jha). This revelation sends shockwaves through the Memon family, who had fled to Dubai just one day prior. Asgar’s testimony provides a chilling account of the workshop where RDX was manufactured and fitted into vehicles, as well as the meticulous planning that went into placing the bombs at Juhu and Centaur hotels.

The abandoned van, initially intended for the ministry complex, becomes a crucial piece of evidence after it is found by police outside the Siemen’s building. Following the blasts, Tiger Memon instructs his cohorts from Dubai to distance themselves from Bombay. In response, Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Maria (Kay Kay Menon), currently leading the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), takes charge of the investigation.

As the truth begins to unravel, those implicated in the crime are forced to live in secrecy and anonymity as they become increasingly desperate to evade capture. The destruction of their passports by Tiger Memon only adds to their woes. Despite initial assurances of support, the high command’s reluctance to provide assistance compounds the situation. As the suspects are picked up one by one, the families of the accused plead with police, insisting on their loved ones’ innocence. Imtiaz Gawate is eventually apprehended after a thrilling chase through Bombay’s streets and slums.

As the plot unfolds, a pivotal moment arrives with the capture of Badshah Khan (Aditya Shrivastava), a henchman who had fled Bombay and gone into hiding in Delhi. Tiger’s stern warning sends Badshah and Bashir fleeing to Rampur, a rural village in Uttar Pradesh, where Badshah’s mother (Pratima Kazmi) remains unaware of the unfolding drama, connected only by phone calls from afar.

In Rampur, the pair soon depart for Jaipur, following instructions from Tiger. As frustration builds with the lack of support and the endless cycle of running, Badshah reaches his breaking point. In Jaipur, he takes refuge with Yeda Yakub, where he learns a shocking truth: their passports have been destroyed, and Tiger had no intention of facilitating their escape to Dubai. This revelation sends Badshah spiraling back to Rampur, only to discover that his mother has been harassed by the police and Tiger’s phone has fallen silent.

The dam breaks when Tiger finally contacts Badshah, instructing him to head to Delhi and then Calcutta. As the flow of cash dries up, despair sets in, and Badshah returns to Rampur, where he is eventually apprehended by the authorities on May 10th, 1993.

Meanwhile, Yeda Yakub’s pivotal role as the conduit for RDX smuggling into India comes to light. Yeda, close to Dawood and Tiger, had secreted the explosive material into a warehouse belonging to a builder, a friend. When the builder discovers his property is being used for storing RDX, he is understandably alarmed. The police’s relentless pursuit of Yeda’s whereabouts leads them to torture his brother Majid and sister Nafeesa. Desperate to save his family, Yeda turns to Tiger for help, only to be left hanging.

In a desperate bid to protect his loved ones, Yeda surrenders the location of Tiger’s remaining RDX cache in Bombay, leading to the recovery of 58 sacks of the explosive material.

As Badshah’s world crumbles, he is forced to confront the futility of his actions and the moral bankruptcy of his choices. With nowhere left to hide, he makes the courageous decision to become a police witness, shedding light on the true motivations behind the blasts. Through Badshah’s testimony, the authorities uncover the driving force behind the violence: the bloody Bombay riots from December 1992 to January 1993, which claimed over 1500 lives and left the Muslim community reeling.

Here is my rephrased version:

The Bombay riots of unprecedented ferocity unleashed a maelstrom of emotional devastation and widespread property damage, forever scarred in the collective memory. It was amidst this backdrop of chaos and despair that Badshah crossed paths with Tiger through the mediation of Shahnawaz.

Tiger Memon (Pavan Malhotra), an underworld kingpin whose stronghold lay in ruins after the devastating riots, witnessed firsthand the profound suffering of the Muslim minority community. This collective trauma served as a catalyst for a clandestine gathering of underworld leaders in Dubai, who collectively resolved to exact retribution for the atrocities committed.

Notably, Dawood Phanse (Gajraj Rao), a seasoned smuggler with ties to Tiger, masterminded the importation of RDX into Bombay via the sea, leveraging his extensive network of bribed officials to ensure the clandestine delivery. Under Tiger’s direct supervision, a team of operatives underwent rigorous training in preparation for a strike.

Tiger Bhai, as he was affectionately known, one of the key instigators behind the attacks, passionately advocated for an assault on Bombay as the most potent means of exacting revenge, ultimately precipitating the infamous Black Friday on March 12, 1993.

Fast-forward to November 4, 1993, when the authorities filed a comprehensive charge sheet against 189 accused individuals. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) subsequently took the reins, assuming responsibility for the high-profile case.

In a stunning turn of events, on August 5, 1994, Tiger’s brother, Yakub Memon (Imtiaz Ali), chose to surrender himself to authorities in an unexpected display of candor. In a subsequent televised interview with Newstrack, Yakub publicly acknowledged that it was indeed Tiger and his underworld associates who orchestrated the conspiracy.