Zinta claimed the ‘injury marks’ were caused when Wadia allegedly molested her and grabbed her with force. The photographs were reportedly clicked by a friend.
NEARLY two years after actor Preity Zinta registered a complaint of molestation and intimidation against Ness Wadia, his statement is likely to be recorded within a fortnight, police sources have told The Indian Express.
Sources said Ness was likely to be summoned by the end of this week for recording his statement which could pave the way for filing a chargesheet.
The decision to summon Wadia was taken after a review of the progress in the case by senior officers, they said.
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Preity Zinta: Ness Wadia said he could make me disappear
In June, 2014, the actress lodged a complaint with Marine Drive police in South Mumbai, accusing Wadia of molesting and intimidating her at Wankhede stadium on May 30 that year during a match of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The two are co-owners of Kings XI Punjab IPL team.
In pursuance of her case, the actor had even submitted four photographs that showed ‘bruise-like’ marks on her right arm to the Mumbai police.
Zinta claimed the ‘injury marks’ were caused when Wadia allegedly molested her and grabbed her with force. The photographs were reportedly clicked by a friend.
A fortnight after registering the complaint, the actress took to social media and had written on Facebook that neither money nor publicity was the motive behind filing of the complaint.
In the same month, while recording her statement, the actress told the police that Wadia had abused the team staff over ticket distribution when she was seated below the air-conditioned box in the Garware Pavilion.
Zinta further stated that she then changed her seat and sat next to her friend Danish Merchant in the non-air-conditioned row below the railing. She claimed she was abused for the third time on the ground in front of her team members.
In his defence in July that year, Wadia had shared names of nine people who he claimed were present at the stadium and he had requested the police to record their statements.
But initially, the police were unable to contact them as their contact details were not shared. Subsequently, the statement of all the witnesses have been recorded.
In August 2014, Gene Goodenough, an American national who married Zinta this year, sent his statement to police through email in connection with the case.
“In his statement, Goodenough supported the claims made by his wife stating he had intervened when Wadia molested and abused Zinta. He asked Wadia not to misbehave with a woman,” a senior official said.
The couple was married in February this year.
Another foreign national Andrew Miller, father of cricketer David Miller, also sent his statement through an email.
“Miller on the other hand had said he saw the estranged couple arguing but did not see Wadia misbehave with her as he was seated far away,” the official added.
In November last year, Zinta recorded an in-camera statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) before the 18th metropolitan magistrate court in Girgaum.
Now six months later, the police have decided to record the statement of Wadia.
“Once the statement is recorded we could end the investigation by taking the case to a logical conclusion and filing a charge sheet,” the official said.
The two had even come close to settling the case.
The proposed contract accessed by The Indian Express set out five terms including the tendering of a written apology from Wadia and that Zinta would not get any financial benefit and that the two parties would communicate only through officials of Kings XI Punjab.
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