Mumbai's film fraternity has reacted variedly to the alleged disappearance of the city's super cop Daya Nayak, whose house was raided by anti-corruption bureau officials last week.

Nayak, also known as Mumbai Police's "shootout specialist", was the subject of several Bollywood films. He allegedly disappeared after charges of amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income were filed against him Friday. The super cop is said to have killed 83 gangsters in 'encounters'.

Kalpana Lajmi, film director, says: "I find the entire press report about Daya Nayak bizarre. He was once revered and eulogized for exterminating high and low profile criminals in more than 80 encounters. He was suddenly accused of having links with the same underworld.

"Newspersons are labelling him a criminal even without giving him an opportunity to defend himself. And now the anti-corruption bureau has discovered disproportionate incomes in his premises. What do we make of all this? Was it planted by political forces to malign him? Or has another hero succumbed to greed and corruption?"

Sanjay Gupta, director: "I don't think he is absconding. There has to be some kind of mistake. From what I know of him he won't run away from a situation. This man has been a hero and has done a lot of good."

Nikhil Advani, director: "This matter requires a serious investigation of the police system. What makes a decorated police officer succumb to temptation? We have seen it happen often in the movies. But I guess life does imitate art, and vice-versa."

Vipul Shah, director: "It is a very difficult case for me to understand this crisis. Sometimes I feel he is guilty, at other times I feel he is being framed. I am not too sure if he is on the run or just biding his time.

"Such cases are always beyond the layperson's understanding. I hope he finally emerges a clean guy because he was always looked up to as a hero. We can't bear to have one more fallen hero. If he is, he will set the wrong example for society."

Mahesh Bhatt, filmmaker: "The world needs to be saved from such saviors of mankind."

Ananth Mahadevan, director: "It is strange. I met up with the man when I was initially supposed to direct a film based on his life 'Kagaar'. What fascinated me was not so much his history of 'encounters' but the fact that after his legally sanctioned killings he went back to his doting family.

"It was this aspect of his life - a wife living with a killer who is on the right side of the law that sparked off my late friend Sujit Sen's script for 'Kagaar'. Daya Nayak spoke about some inquiry or the other against him long ago and how he emerged clean from it.

"I am sure the man has a lot to say. But that one meeting with Daya Nayak made me realize that cops are after all human. No matter how cocksure you are, life's vagaries are waiting around the corner to grab you. Before you know it, you are confronted by your past karma. And you can't even shoot straight."

Shimit Amin, director: "I was out of town. I don't know anything about the case. May I get back to you?" Amin had directed "Ab Tak Chhappan" based on Daya Nayak's life.