Fact check: Man in viral photo with Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Sandip Ssingh is not Dawood Ibrahim

After BJP MP Subramanian Swamy raised questions about Sandip Ssingh’s Dubai trips, an old picture featuring the producer went viral on Twitter. The photograph, taken in 2013, shows Sandip sitting with Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and a few others from the team of Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela.

It was alleged by netizens that the man sitting on Sandip’s right was fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim. However, the man in question is actually Wasiq Khan, the production designer of Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela.

Sandip shared the picture as a throwback on his Instagram page in May this year, mentioning the names of everyone featured in it. “#Iftar is the time of huge blessings, try to gather as many as you can… Breaking bread together since 2013. #SanjayLeelaBhansali @ranveersingh @deepikapadukone @r_varman_ @siddharthgarima #WasiqKhan,” he wrote in his caption.

The picture features Sandip, Ranveer, Deepika, Sanjay, lyricist duo Siddharth and Garima (the two of them are not facing the camera but have been tagged in the photo), cinematographer Ravi Varman and Wasiq.

Sandip is the former CEO of Bhansali Productions and was one of the producers of Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela. He has also produced films such as Sarbjit and the PM Narendra Modi biopic, starring Vivek Oberoi.

After the death of Sushant Singh Rajput on June 14, Sandip was one of the first people to reach his apartment. In his Instagram posts, the producer had referred to the late actor as his ‘brother’.

In an interview with Pinkvilla, Vikas Singh, the lawyer representing Sushant’s family, said that no one in the family was acquainted with Sandip. “Meetu (Sushant’s sister) was devastated after seeing Sushant’s body so she went and she was lying down in the room so he just saw an opportunity and he took charge. Nobody in the family knows him, how did he come there? Suddenly how did he start taking charge. Since nobody from the family was there, there was an opening for him” he said.

Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput’s family lawyer says actor was drugged unknowingly, this is ‘ultimately what led to his death’

Earlier, in an Instagram post, Sandip claimed that Sushant had promised to star in his directorial debut titled Vande Bharatam. “You made me a promise. We, the Bihari brothers, will one day rule this industry and be the inspiration/support system for all young dreamers like you and me bhai. You promised me that my directorial debut will be with you. Raaj Shaandilyaa wrote this and we were to produce this together,” he had written.

Sandip said that he was ‘lost’ after Sushant’s demise but promised to make Vande Bharatam as a tribute to him. “Those hours of discussions on this film we dreamed to make together…the film ‘Vande Bharatam’…now all I am left with is your memories and this poster which was our dream starting to come true, this film my brother, will be the symbol of the undying light of your soul,” he had written in his post.

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