IPL COO, five other witnesses confirm Preity Zinta's claim

Mumbai: Indian Premier League COO Sundar Raman today corroborated Bollywood actress Preity Zinta’s claim that she had informed him about her 30 May spat with former boyfriend and industrialist Ness Wadia at the Wankhede Stadium, police said today. The 39-year-old actress had filed a police complaint on 12 June night alleging she was molested by Wadia (44) at Wankhede stadium on 30 May when an IPL match was played between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings. [caption id=“attachment_1579275” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] Wadia has termed the accusations as “false and baseless”. “Sundar Raman’s statement was today recorded in BCCI’s office in connection with Preity Zinta case. The statement was affirmative. There was a mention by Raman in the statement that Zinta had verbally communicated to him about the spat with Ness Wadia on May 30,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Ravindra Shisve. The IPL Chief Operating Officer’s statement was recorded over an-hour-and-half, Shisve said, adding statements of six witnesses have been recorded so far, including that of a BCCI employee Ankit Baldi. The witnesses were “affirmative” about the “incident having taken place”, the officer said without clarifying whether they were eyewitnesses to the happenings or divulging details of their statements. In her written complaint to the police last Thursday, Zinta had alleged that Wadia publicly humiliated her on several occasions, including once at an IPL auction where Raman was present. The actress had also claimed she had informed Raman about Ness’s behaviour during an IPL match on 30 May. The officer said CCTV footage examined by the police so far had not given any “substantial leads” as to what exactly happened between the two. “We are seeking more CCTV footage from the BCCI and hope to get tomorrow the footages from Sony which had telecast rights of the IPL,” Shisve added. He said Ness Wadia, against whom Zinta has levelled charges of abusing and molesting her, will be called for questioning only after the actress has recorded her supplementary statement. “Preity’s supplementary statement would be recorded this week and after that statements of some more witnesses would be recorded and then Ness Wadia would be called for questioning,” Shisve said. Based on Zinta’s written complaint, Marine Drive police registered an FIR against Wadia under several sections of IPC relating to outraging the modesty of a woman and criminal intimidation. PTI