In this photograph taken on December 2, 2010, Ness Wadia and Preity Zinta leave the Bombay High Court after filing a petition relating to a sports team. Their “love story” has now turned into a “hate story.”
Agencies/Mumbai
Bollywood actresses Preity Zinta has filed a police complaint alleging that she was molested, abused and threatened by a former boyfriend at an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket match, officials said yesterday.
Zinta accused businessman Ness Wadia, who co-owns the Kings XI Punjab IPL team with the actress, of abusing her after the pair got into an argument while watching their team play the Chennai Super Kings on May 30.
“We received Zinta’s complaint on Friday,” Mumbai police officer Vijay Mane told reporters.
“She wrote that both of them were sitting together at the Mumbai Wankhede stadium on May 30 when they had an argument over something following which he threatened her, pushed her and used bad language against her,” Mane said.
Zinta issued a statement yesterday describing it as a “difficult time.”
“This is not easy for me and my intention is not to harm anyone, but only to protect myself and stand up for myself... in the process of my fight for respect at my workplace,” Zinta said on Twitter.
In her long post, Zinta added “this time I was left with no option but to take this stern step as this incident happened in front of way too many people... I’m sure the witnesses will speak the truth and I trust and believe that the police will do their job fairly and quickly.”
She added: “I may not be super wealthy and powerful but I have truth by my side and I’ve worked very hard all my life and tried to earn respect for myself as a self-made professional. It saddens me that no one at work or around ever stood up for me in the past when I was abused and insulted publicly.”
Known as Bollywood’s dimpled beauty, she’s often frank and upfront about her views.
“Every human being has a limit to how much they can take; some of us foolishly call it strength and try to look ahead focusing on the positives of work and life. All these years I have never said anything about him (Ness) in the media but now I have no choice.”
Wadia also issued a media statement expressing “shock” over the complaint and said the “allegations against me are totally false and baseless.”
Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria said an investigation was underway.
“We will be recording the statements of the witnesses,” Maria told news channel CNN-IBN.
Police have lodged a first information report (FIR) of “outraging the modesty of a woman,” intimidation and intentional insult, media reported.
A popular actress, with films like Sangharsh, Kya Kehna, Veer-Zaara, Lakshya, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna and Heaven On Earth to her credit, Zinta even turned a producer with Ishkq In Paris, which released in 2013.
Zinta and Wadia, scion of the Wadia group, a conglomerate with interests including in real estate, textiles and a low-budget airline, called off their five-year relationship in 2009, although they continue to be business partners.
Meanwhile, a delegation of the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission led by Chitra Wagh visited the police station yesterday afternoon to find out the probe status and the action taken by the police.
“The police said they have completed most of the inquiries into the incident. Some witnesses and CCTV footage are still to be probed and will be done soon,” Wagh said.