Mumbai: The Mumbai police Crime Branch is probing a complaint about alleged mafia threats to well-known industrialist Nusli Wadia related to a complaint filed against his son Ness by Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, officials said here Wednesday.
An aide to the 70-year-old Nusli Wadia Monday received calls and a message purportedly from absconding gangster Ravi Pujari, following which a complaint was lodged with the N.M. Joshi March Police Tuesday.
The message warned the industrialist that his “business will be in trouble” if the actress was harassed.
“Don’t run around Preity Zinta. Give my message to Wadia, otherwise his business will be in trouble,” said the message to the aide, which was given to police in the complaint.
Also Read: Preity Zinta files Molestation Case against Ex-Boyfriend Ness Wadia
However, the aide’s name has not been revealed by the police, nor the fact whether the phone belonged to him or to a member of the Wadia clan.
The crime branch sleuths are now investigating the genuineness of the caller’s claim that he was gangster Pujari or his henchman, and the source of the call.
Bombay Dyeing Group chairman Nusli Wadia is a grandson of M.A. Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, who lived and worked in Mumbai before Independence.
The fresh twist in the case came barely a week after Preity lodged a complaint last Thursday alleging molestation, abuse and threats, against her former boyfriend and co-owner of her IPL cricket team Kings XI Punjab, with Mumbai police.
Last week, Ness Wadia was booked over an alleged molestation charge made by Preity Zinta. The Bombay Dyeing scion denied the charges, while Preity said “I’ve truth by my side”.
The first information report (FIR) was lodged on the basis of a detailed written complaint handed over at the Marine Drive police station by Zinta late Thursday.
But Wadia has said the charges were “baseless” and he was “shocked at the complaint”.
An investigating officer said police have started calling witnesses and will also scan the CCTV footage of the alleged incident which took place May 30 in Mumbai during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match.
On Thursday night, Zinta, in a written complaint accused Wadia, whom she dated for five years till 2009, of molesting and abusing her.
Among other things, Zinta has accused Wadia of grabbing her hand and abusing her during a cricket match at Wankhede Stadium here.
Ness Wadia Mentally Tortured And Criminally Intimidated Me: Preity Zinta
Wadia, who along with Zinta co-owns the IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab, issued a statement Saturday denying her allegations.
“I am shocked at the complaint and the allegations made against me are totally false and baseless,” Wadia said.
Police might contemplate action against Wadia after questioning witnesses and examining video clips of the IPL match in Mumbai a fortnight ago.
Also Read: BCCI Ready To Cooperate In Zinta-Wadia Investigation
Meanwhile, a delegation of the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission led by Chitra Wagh visited the police station Saturday afternoon to ascertain the probe status and action initiated by the police in the matter.
“The police have informed that 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 told mediapersons.
She said she had demanded that the police immediately arrest Wadia and present him before a court to give justice to Zinta.
In a statement to the media earlier Saturday, Zinta claimed that her intention (behind the complaint) “is not to harm anyone but only to protect myself”.
Later Saturday, she issued a detailed statement on her Facebook page ‘Real Preity Zinta’.
It read: “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.
“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.”
She is sure “the witnesses will speak the truth and I trust and believe that the police will do their job fairly and quickly.”
Also Read: No Woman Likes Such Controversy but I Was Left With No Choice: Preity Zinta
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, Preity even turned film producer with “Ishkq In Paris”, which released in 2013.
Known as Bollywood’s dimpled beauty, she’s often frank and upfront about her views.
She added: “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.”