Actor-writer Zeishan Quadri is in a legal tiff with former business partner and producer Shalini Chaudhary, after she alleged that the Gangs Of Wasseypur actor sold her luxury cars without her knowledge and threatened her, too. Now, he has come forward to state that she is just trying to tarnish his image.

Last month, Chaudhary, who worked with Quadri on Crime Patrol Dial 100 and a film Halahal (2020), claimed that the latter mortgaged a luxury car of hers for Rs. 12 lakh after dodging her calls for the past year. He has been booked for cheating and criminal breach of trust under sections 420 and 406 of the IPC. “The case is completely baseless. I challenge her to put out evidence,” Quadri tells us.

Putting forth his side of the story, the actor says, “In June-July last year, she requested me to help her sell her car because she was in dire need of money. One of my acquaintances agreed to buy it and gave Shalini two cheques, one for Rs. 6 lakh (self-cheque) and another for Rs. 13 lakh. Soon after, I got a call from her son saying they are unable to clear the self-cheque at the bank. I spoke to the buyer, who transferred the money to me and I to Shalini.”

He goes on to claim that he sent Rs. 5.75 lakh to Chaudhary, and told her he would give her the remaining Rs. 25,000 in cash, after which they can return the Rs. 6 lakh cheque. “Her son agreed. But they didn’t clear transaction,” says Quadri, adding that soon he started getting abusive calls from them, claiming their car was “getting sold at Rs. 26 lakh”.

“They used such filthy language,” he says, and goes on to state that he was assaulted by Chaudhary’s sons on January 24 this year. “They asked me for Rs. 16 lakh for the car and Rs. 10 lakh for Halahal. I refused. After the [assault] incident, I was under so much trauma. I’ve filed a complaint against them. Inquiry is underway,” he says.

While the court order in the case filed by Choudhary is slated to be pronounced on September 7, Quadri says he will file a defamation suit against her. “I will also take forward my FIR in the assault case. She is trying to destroy my career and I will not remain silent,” he sums up.