Lawyers deny Preity-Ness truce reports

A senior police officer said the two parties had a closed-door meeting in the presence of the lawyers where the draft contract was prepared

July 25, 2014 12:34 am | Updated November 16, 2021 06:53 pm IST - MUMBAI:

Preity Zinta with Ness Wadia. File photo

Preity Zinta with Ness Wadia. File photo

Even as a senior police official disclosed that actor Preity Zinta and industrialist Ness Wadia had sought to reach a formal truce in the molestation case, both parties have denied any such closed-door meetings. On June 12, the actor had filed a complaint with the Mumbai Police accusing Mr. Wadia of molestation and intimidation at the Wankhede stadium on May 30. The estranged couple are co-owners of the Kings XI Punjab IPL team.

According to a senior police officer, the two parties had a closed-door meeting around a fortnight ago in the presence of the lawyers where the draft contract for consent terms was prepared.

The contract, accessed by The Hindu , set five terms including the tendering of a written apology from Mr. Wadia. The terms also said Ms. Zinta would not get any financial benefit from the consent terms and that the two parties would communicate only through officials of their company, Kings XI Punjab.

However, when The Hindu contacted Ms. Zinta’s lawyer Hitesh Jain, he denied that any such agreement was discussed. “I am not aware of any such mutual agreement that my client had discussed with Mr. Wadia,” he said. Naveen Soni, Head (PR) and Corporate Communications at Wadia Group also said: “There was never such an agreement. It is all speculation.”

The Mumbai police have so far questioned around two dozen people in connection with the case including the friends of both parties. However, they are yet to decide on the future course of action including when to summon Mr. Wadia in the case.

“We are still in the process of recording the statements of witnesses suggested by Mr. Wadia. After their statements are recorded, we will corroborate the statements and take a legal opinion what to do next,” another senior officer told The Hindu .

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