Preeti Jain held for alleged plot to kill Bhandarkar

BY A CORRESPONDENT

10 September, 2005: Bollywood actress Preeti Jain has been arrested for allegedly giving contract money to an aide of former gangster Arun Gawli for assassinating her bete noir film maker Madhukar Bhandarkar. She will be produced in the court on Sunday.

The Arun Gawli aide Naresh Pardeshi has also been held in connection with this.

The developments come in the aftermath of a complaint filed by a general secretary Akhil Bharatiya Sena, the political party of Gawli. The complaint charged that the arrested Gawli aide Naresh Pardeshi had been contacted by Jain to kill Madhukar and paid Rs 70,000.

Pardeshi has been expelled from Gawli’s outfit.

Bhandarkar had reportedly told police that he was receiving anonymous calls to settle issues with Preeti. It may be recalled that Gawli had said on Wednesday that he had asked Preeti Jain to ask the police to sort out her issues with the Chandni Bar director.

Preeti had come into limelight in 2004 after she filed a complaint against Madhukar
alleging that he had raped her by promising a role in his movie.

Madhukar Bhandarkar said he is yet to decide whether to ask for security for him, in the wake of these developments. Preeti, charged with Naresh for criminal conspiracy, denied giving supari to eliminate Madhukar. The actress admitted she met Gawli saying that was to request him to raise the issue in the legislative assembly.

BY A CORRESPONDENT