Shandar Amrohi moves court in Preity Zinta case

Shaheeda, the widow of Shandar Amrohi (film-maker Kamal Amrohi’s son), has appealed against a Bombay high court order directing her and Shandar’s legal heirs to disclose details of the bank accounts held by them.

Justice SJ Kathawala had directed Shaheeda and her children to file affidavits disclosing the same in December 2013.

The affidavit was sought in response to a suit filed by Bollywood actor Preity Zinta, seeking recovery of the Rs2 crore that she had supposedly lent to Shandar Amrohi to fight his legal battles and for other purposes.

On Saturday, Shaheeda and her children challenged the interim order of Justice Kathawala before a division bench of the HC. According to Shaheeda, such an interim order directing the respondents to disclose bank account details cannot be passed in a recovery suit.

A division bench of Justices SJ Vazifdar and BP Colabawala, however, asked Shaheeda to file the affidavit as directed by the single judge by January 21. “File the affidavit and submit it to us (division bench). We will see on Tuesday (January 21) if the details need to be disclosed,” said Justice Vazifdar.

Zinta’s suit said she did not give the money to Shandar by way of charity, but had done so on the assurance it would be returned once he grew financially stable. It claimed that a few months after Amrohi’s death, Zinta orally requested the family to pay her dues, but in vain.