The Bombay High Court on Wednesday quashed a 2014 case lodged by the city police against industrialist Ness Wadia for allegedly outraging the modesty of Bollywood actor Preity Zinta.
Ms. Zinta and Mr. Wadia along with their lawyers appeared before a Division Bench of Justices Ranjit More and Bharti Dangre in the judges’ chamber.
“ We have been told by the court not to divulge anything more,” Mr. Wadia’s lawyer Aabad Ponda said. Ms. Zinta’s lawyers also refused to give any details.
On October 1, the court suggested that two settle the issue amicably.
Ms. Zinta’s lawyer had said that she was willing to settle the matter if Mr. Wadia was ready to apologise. Mr. Ponda had then said that his client was ready to bury the hatchet, but he would not apologise.
The alleged incident took place at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 30, 2014 during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match.
Ms. Zinta and Mr. Wadia are co-owners of the IPL team Kings XI Punjab.
According to the complaint, Mr. Wadia was abusing the team staff over ticket distribution when Ms. Zinta asked him to calm down as their team was winning.
He abused her too and molested her by grabbing her arm, Ms. Zinta said, as per the first information report lodged on June 13, 2014 under IPC Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (using word, gesture or act intended to insult a woman’s modesty).
