Preity Zinta: Ness Wadia threw burning cigarettes at my face, locked me up in rooms [Throwback]

Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia were one of the most good-looking couples back in 2005. Later, when they bought an Indian Premier League (IPL) team, Kings XI Punjab, together, the nation started speculating about their impending wedding.

But in 2009, the duo parted ways leaving fans heartbroken. It was speculated back then that a few months before their break-up, Ness, in a fit of rage, had slapped the actress at a party. Neither of the two had revealed the reason behind the breakup until many years later Preity filed a complaint against Ness in 2014, accusing him of molestation, threats and abuse. It did send shockwaves across the nation.

The fiasco at Wankhede Stadium in 2014:

The actress had claimed that things turned ugly at the Wankhede Stadium on May 30, 2014, during a Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings match when Ness abused and manhandled her by grabbing her arm. She further stated that Ness also abused her on the ground in front of their team members.

In her complaint, Preity had said that much before the unfortunate incident at the stadium, they were having work-related disagreements during which the businessman abused her and used extremely derogatory language. Though, she had verbally warned him, he refused to mend his ways.

"On the evening of May 30, 2014, Mr Ness Wadia had intimidated me by saying that he could make me disappear as I was a nobody and only an actress and he's a powerful person... I have tried to be very normal and nice to him as I wanted peace in my life, but the recent afore-stated incident in Mumbai at the Wankhede stadium has left me shattered and fear for my life," she stated in her complaint.

Preity's letter to Mumbai Police Commissioner:

The Kal Ho Na Ho actress had also submitted a letter to the then Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria when she had to seek permission to go abroad. In the letter, the actress wrote, "Ness' behaviour towards me is getting more and more aggressive and violent over a period of time. From throwing burning cigarettes at my face to locking me up in rooms and manhandling me, I have seen it all with him."

She went on to say, "I just want him to be kept away from me so I can live in peace, otherwise one unfortunate day, in a fit of rage, he will kill me and that really scares me."

The industriast had, however, denied the allegations calling them "totally false and baseless." 

The High Court dismisses case:

The Bombay High Court in 2018 dismissed the case with the judges urging the two parties to settle the matter between themselves. Currently, both Ness and Preity still serve as co-owners of Kings XI Punjab.