Ness threw burning cigarettes at my face, locked me in rooms: Preity Zinta

Mumbai: Bollywood actor Preity Zinta, who has accused former boyfriend and industrialist Ness Wadia of molestation, said Ness had thrown burning cigarettes at her and locked her up in a room.

Preity said she had been facing such abuse even before the 30 May incident at Wankhede Stadium following which she filed a police complaint.

“Ness’s behaviour towards me is getting more and more aggressive and violent over a period of time. From throwing burning cigarettes at my face to locking me up in rooms and manhandling me, I have seen it all with him,” she said in a letter to Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria.

However, a source close to Wadia has dismissed the charge as false. Preity had submitted a letter to Maria on 30 June when she met him to seek permission to go abroad.

“I (Zinta) just want him (Wadia) to be kept away from me so I can live in peace, otherwise one unfortunate day, in a fit of rage, he will kill me and that really scares me,” she said in the letter, according to a police officer privy to the probe.

“I had no intention to harm him (Wadia) in anyway by lodging a police complaint, but I had no option left but to come to the police department for my safety. I am genuinely paranoid that he will try to harm me directly or indirectly in the future,” she said.

In her complaint to the police on 12 June, Zinta had accused wadia of molesting, abusing and threatening her during an IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings on 30 May at Wankhede Stadium. The two are co-owners of IPL team Kings XI Punjab.

“I had no intention to harm him (Wadia) in anyway by lodging a police complaint, but I had no option left but to come to the police department for my safety. I am genuinely paranoid that he will try to harm me directly or indirectly in the future,” she said.

When contacted, a source close to Wadia said, “This is a planned attempt to malign the reputation of Ness Wadia. All the allegations are fictitious and unwarranted.”

PTI