Mumbai:
The Mumbai Police has arrested 10 people for vandalising property at businessman Raj Kundra's martial arts programme shoot at the Filmalaya Studio in Mumbai on Saturday night. A case of unlawful assembly, rioting, extortion and outraging the modesty of a woman has been registered against the accused, who are allegedly from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) cinema wing.
"We had a sports event that was going on... Some ruffians tried to barge in and they molested one of our lady staff. The started vandalising the area and demanded money. We did not know who they were. When this happened our bouncers retaliated and threw them out. We then called the police. The police caught them and brought them here. Sometime later a larger group and vandalised the place. It is unfortunate. We would not have done anything if they had not raised hands on a girl. We cannot accept molestation or pushing a woman by touching her inappropriately," Mr Kundra, who is married to Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty, told reporters.
Trouble allegedly started over a hiring and payment dispute. Police say MNS workers carrying party flags and shouting slogans reached the set in hordes after some of them who were hired for the shoot were told their services were not required which led to a payment dispute.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Dattatray Jadhav said "There was a martial arts programme on in the studio. Suddenly 20 to 25 men arrived. They want to go in but they were stopped. The receptionist there stopped them but they pushed her inappropriately and went in. The men were also demanding money. Police have arrested some of the accused."
However, MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said "Neither I, nor my party will support this incident. We only want the people of Maharashtra to get work here. If our people have gone there and vandalized property, then it's wrong. But if those people have beaten up our boys then a complaint needs to be filed against them too. If our boys were wrong, weren't they wrong too? So they should also be punished."