According to them, Salman had deep links with underworld and he was bullying his sweetheart Ash to perform in one of the show hosted by none other than Abu Salem. It was the time when Salman was also working in the films like 'Chori Chori Chupke Chupke' funded by underworld.
What started with the repeated requests turned into ugly brawl when Sallu threatened to knock off Ash and her entire family if she doesn't honour the words he has given to his 'friend'.
"You know I can do it. After all, everybody from Dawood Ibrahim to Guru Satam is a friend," he says in the taped conversation.
The daily, which claims to have this complete conversation tells, "Salman began calling Ash on the night of August 28, 2001 when she was about to leave for US on a 50-day tour. He phoned her relentlessly over the next three nights. First complaining that she was not taking his calls and then threatening her by saying that he had "people" who would watch her in America".
But when Ash didn't budge he became extremely desperate and abusive.
"Will you do the Salem show or not? Yes or no," he asked unequivocally but Ash apparently refused. What followed this dirty war was a bitter split, which became fodder for the gossip mills for the umpteen days.
It is also believed that the new tapes are bound to affect Salman adversely as the actor slugs it out in the courtroom to prove his innocence in various criminal cases.