Chargesheet against Shilpa parents for hiring goons

Police on Wednesday filed a chargesheet against Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty’s parents, Surendra and Sunanda Shetty, accused in an extortion case involving Praful Sarees owner Pankaj Agarwal. The chargesheet was filed against the Shettys, their ex-driver Dilip Rajaram Palsekar, gangster Dinesh Rai and hotelier Padmanabhan Kotiyan.

The accused have been charged with hiring gangsters to recover the Rs 2 crore that Pankaj Agarwal owed Shilpa Shetty for an ad-film. According to the police, Shilpa’s parents hired gangsters owing allegiance to Malaysia-based underworld don Fazlu-ur-Rehman. In the chargesheet, police said they have in their possession a recorded conversation between Shilpa’s parents, Pankaj Agarwal and the gangsters. Police have mentioned the names of about 24 witnesses, including BJP MLA and former state minister Purshottam Solanki, NCP leader from Maharashtra Janak Kesaria, BJP MLA Heera Solanki, NCP leader from Mumbai Anil Vesaria and actress Shilpa Shetty, whose statements were recorded.

The Shettys’ defence counsel, Kalpesh Desai, said: ‘‘Both Sunanda and Surendra Shetty have been granted bail by the sessions court in the case. Since the chargesheet has been filed, we are ready to face trial.’’