Model gets 3-yr jail for filmmaker murder plot
The city civil and sessions court sentenced model Preeti Jain to three years in jail and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on her for plotting to murder filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, against whom she had earlier registered a rape case.
Two of her associates — Naresh Pardeshi and Shivram Das — too were sentenced to three years on charges of conspiracy, aiding and abetting crime. The trio was, however, granted bail on cash surety of Rs 15,000 each. They have been given four weeks to file an appeal in the Bombay High Court.
Soon after the court’s decision, Jain sought suspension of sentence.
Two other aides of the model who are from from Uttar Pradesh were acquitted for lack of evidence.
Bhandarkar reacted to the verdict with a tweet: “Some things are better left unsaid! Some things are better left as they are. Life moves on, so have I.”
It was alleged that Jain approached Pardeshi to eliminate Bhandarkar in 2005, almost a year after she filed a rape case against the filmmaker, and allegedly paid Rs 75,000 for the job. However, as the task was not completed, she asked for her money back. The issue reached gangster Gawli, who then sent his men to alert the police.
After a week-long probe, the police registered a case on September 10, 2005. Pardesi was arrested the same day and Jain was picked up while she was on her way to the Versova police station. The cops later arrested Pardeshi’s friend Shivram Das, who allegedly helped him arrange for weapons and shooters.
The trial first began in the fast-track court in Sewree, but was later transferred to the sessions court.
Preeti Jain comes out of sessions court after getting bail, in Mumbai on Friday.