Zinta gives cops four photos of bruised hand to back assault claim

Mumbai: Bollywood actress Preity Zinta has submitted four photographs to Mumbai police showing bruises on her hand to back her claim of criminal assault against her ex-boyfriend Ness Wadia even as the industrialist shared with investigators the contact details of witnesses he wants examined, police said on Wednesday.

“These four photographs, which show bruises on Zinta’s hand, were received by us today. We are examining the photographs, which will be crucial pieces of evidence in the case,” said a police officer involved in the probe.

Meanwhile, the Wadia group on Wednesday wrote to Marine Drive police giving details of the witnesses whose statements they want to be recorded in connection with the case. “We had contact details of a few of the nine witnesses whose names had been shared with us by Wadia on July 2. Today, we received contact details of the rest from the Wadias,” the officer said.

Wadia’s letter to the investigating officer at Marine Drive Police station sent on July 2 had names of Serieka Lal, Loretta Joseph, Pooja Dadlani, Anneline Adams, Farah Oomerbhoy, Sweetie Burman, Kamlesh Shah, Rayaan Mustapha and Sharat Nath as witnesses.Contact details of the witnesses were sent to the police after they faced difficulty in locating them only on the basis of their names.

In her complaint to police on June 12, Zinta had accused Wadia of molesting, abusing and threatening her during an Indian Premier League match between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings on May 30 at Wankhede stadium. Wadia and Zinta continue to co-own Kings XI Punjab team despite their estrangement. Zinta had alleged that Wadia yelled at her and abused her before “grabbing my arm and pulling me”. The photos were apparently given to the police to substantiate the charge.

Wadia has denied allegations against him as “false”. Police have so far recorded statements of 12 witnesses named by Zinta including IPL’s Chief Operating Officer Sundar Raman, Board of Control for Cricket in India Secretary Sanjay Patel and COO of Kings XI Punjab Fraser Castellino.

SC notice to Salman in black buck poaching case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued notice to actor Salman Khan in the 1998 killing of two Chinkara deer and a black buck during a film shooting in Rajasthan. The top court's notice followed the Rajasthan government's petition challenging a High Court order suspending the actor's conviction in the case.

The 47-year-old is accused of hunting and killing the endangered deer while shooting his film Hum Saath Saath Hain in Rajasthan in 1998. He has already twice spent time in the Jodhpur jail in connection to the case, in 1998 and again in 2007. Khan's Hum Saath Saath Hain co-stars - Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam - are charged with inciting the actor to hunt. Khan's rifle and revolver were seized by the court when he was first accused of poaching and their licences were found to have expired.

Fresh charges were framed against Mr Khan last year after the Rajasthan High Court and the Supreme Court both ruled that the Arms Act could not be applied to him and sent the case back to the lower court.