Model Leena Kapoor, who had accused tainted Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf of sexual exploitation, rues police inaction; says he could have been deterred from further crimes had he been behind bars.
`If the cops had taken my complaint seriously, Asad Rauf would have thought twice before committing crimes,` said Oshiwara- based model Leena Kapoor, who had earlier accused Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf of sexual exploitation. Rauf is now embroiled in the murky IPL spot-fixing scandal, and is suspected of having received payoffs from bookies.
Last year, MiD DAY had broken the news of Kapoor's written complaint against Rauf to DCP ('Model says umpire used her for sex,' Aug 14, 2012.) In her complaint, Kapoor revealed that she had met Rauf through a mutual friend in Sri Lanka in March, 2011.
They exchanged numbers, and eventually started dating. She said that he promised to marry her and even lived with her, but later dumped her unceremoniously.
Speaking to MiD DAY following the controversial umpire's withdrawal from next month's Champions Trophy in UK, Kapoor rued that Rauf's prompt arrest on the basis of her complaint last year could have deterred him from committing crimes. `When you are already in trouble over one issue, you don't think of inviting another one,` Kapoor reasoned.
The aspiring model added, `Several people used to come to meet him. The meetings were always held in a different room. I was always kept away from these meetings. When I was once in his room soon after we first met in Sri Lanka, some men came with a briefcase. This was followed by a closed-door meeting in the next room.`
Though Leena had registered a criminal complaint against Rauf then, she eventually did a volte-face, retracting her claims earlier this year ('I have no problems with Asad Rauf', Feb 1, 2013). She now says that she took the decision under duress, having received threat calls after registering the complaint.
`I was under tremendous pressure. He is a powerful man in Pakistan with lots of political backing. I was forced to withdraw my complaint,` she said, adding, `I was struggling in Bollywood, and with this kind of controversy, it is difficult to focus on work.`
Vindu was carrying 'gifts' for rauf
Sources in Mumbai Crime Branch, which has been investigating the umpire's role in the racket, revealed that Rauf had been involved in dealings with some of the bookies arrested by them.
In fact, a hamper brimming with pay-offs - including gold ornaments, watches and other electronic appliances - is now stuck at the air cargo at Delhi airport. The 'gifts' were dispatched by Pawan Jaipur, a bookie who has since been arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch.
`The consignment was handed over by Pawan to Bollywood actor Vindu Dara Singh, who was to deliver it to Rauf. Rauf was in Delhi for a match and was staying at a five-star hotel there,` said a Crime Branch official. Vindu passed on the task to Prem Taneja, a Delhi-based businessman.
But before he could deliver the gifts to Rauf, Crime Branch officials arrested him. `With Taneja being accused, the consignment which he was to deliver to Rauf is still lying in the air cargo at Delhi airport,` a source from the Crime Branch revealed.
