Indian Premier league Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sundar Raman on Thursday confirmed to the Mumbai police that Bollywood actress Preity Zinta had indeed communicated verbally to him about her much-discussed run-in with her former boyfriend and industrialist Ness Wadia at the Wankhede Stadium on May 30.
On a day when the city police beefed up security at the office of Ness’ father and industrialist Nusli Wadia in the wake of telephonic threats from fugitive underworld gangster Ravi Pujari, the Marine Drive police recorded a detailed statement of Raman in connection with the May 30 spat between Preity and Wadia.
Talking to mediapersons here, Deputy Commissioner of Police Ravindra Shisve said the recording of Raman’s statement lasted for nearly 90 minutes. “In his statement, Raman confirmed that the actress had indeed informed him about the spat she had with Ness Wadia at the Wankhede Stadium on May 30,” Shisve said, as he alluded to such a reference made by the actress in her complaint lodged with the Marine Drive police on June 12.
According to Shisve, the investigators have so far recorded the statements of six witnesses, including Raman and a BCCI employee Ankit Baldi, in connection with the May 30 incident — in which Wadia allegedly grabbed Preity’s hand and abused her in full public view.
Shisve said that all the six witnesses had confirmed that such an incident had indeed taken place at Wankhede Stadium on May 30. He, however, refrained from confirming or denying if the six were eye-witnesses to the incident, Nor did he divulge the details of the incident.
However, there are unconfirmed reports that Sachin Tendulkar’s minor son Arjun Tendulkar, who was apparently present at the Wankhede stadium when the argument between Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia broke out, may have recorded his statement with the Mumbai Police. There were some reports that the Wadia group scion may have abused Arjun too during the heated argument.
In her complaint, Preity had said that she had kept Raman in the loop about several incidents in which Wadia had publicly humiliated her on several occasion, including once at an IPl auction. She had also said that she brought to Raman’s attention about the May 30 incident at Wakhende stadium.
Informed police sources said that Preity had made mention of three specific incidents, involving Wadia, that took place at the Wankhede stadium on May 30.
In the first incident, Wadia allegedly quarreled with the staff of the IPl franchise, Kings XI Punjab — which he co-owns with Preity — in the presence of the actress. The second incident happened when Preity went back to her seat, to where Wadia followed. The third incident happened on the Wankhede stadium ground as per the actress’ complaint.
Meanwhile, Preity is returning to Mumbai from los Angeles late on Thursday night. She is expected to record her supplementary statement on the May 30 incident with the Marine Drive on Friday evening.
In a related development, Preity Zinta has denied that she had any plans to sell her stake in IPl franchise Kings XI Punjab, which she co-owns with industrialist Ness Wadia, and settle down in the United States as part of an out-of-the-court settlement, as was being speculated in the section media.
Ahead of her return to Mumbai from los Angeles where she has been away for the past few days, to record her supplementary statement with the Marine Drive police, Preity stated in a late Wednesday night tweet : “A big Thank U 2all the people 4the support. Amazed at how much speculation in the media. No I’m not selling my stake or settling in the US”.
“SO called sources says (sic) anything & its getting reported. Pls No hearsay. There are many IMP Issues in India which are much more news worthy,” the actress added.
The actress, who was summoned early this week by the city police to record her supplementary statement, will clarify the issues raised by the investigators and also elaborate on her complaint lodged with the Marine Drive police on June 12 on the much-discussed May 30 incident at Wankhede stadium.