Mumbai/New Delhi, May 17 (IANS) Shah Rukh Khan was at the centre of an ugly row Thursday with allegations that he had got into a brawl with security personnel and officials at the Wankhede stadium. But the star issued a furious denial and said it was his children and others who had been ‘manhandled’ and deserved an apology.
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner even faced a lifetime ban from entering the Wankhede Stadium after allegedly turning up there drunk at the ground and misbehaving with security guards and cricket officials Wednesday night.
The incident took place after his team beat Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League match at the stadium. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) filed a complaint with Mumbai’s Marine Drive police station.
In a case of his word against theirs, Shah Rukh denied that he was drunk or that his behaviour was incorrect.
‘I don’t think that my behaviour was incorrect or I did something illegal. I think what I did was correct. They are my kids and I have a responsibility towards them. I will not apologise. They (officials) should apologise to me,’ Shah Rukh told reporters outside his residence.
Recounting his version, the 46-year-old said: ‘I had gone to pick up my children who were there to watch the match. I went there, congratulated my team and when I came back, I saw that there a gentleman was manhandling the children. They were pushing little girls. I just told him that this is not the way to behave.
‘He (the official) spoke something in Marathi, something which I can’t even repeat… I said he should not speak to me like this. It is extremely disturbing to see the way they manhandled children… I won’t deny that I could have said something in a fit of anger,’ he added.
He said he was not drunk.
‘I just drink socially. It is an easy way to pick on the celebrities and say things like that they were drunk or were angry.’
The version of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) was completely different. Officials said Shah Rukh and his entourage wanted to celebrate after the presentation ceremony but were not allowed to do so.
He allegedly misbehaved with an elderly guard and pushed him. When MCA officials intervened, he is said to have abused them.
‘This is a grave matter. I have called for an urgent meeting and we shall discuss the matter following which we will decide the future course of action,’ union minister and MCA president Vilasrao Deshmukh told IANS.
A decision on a lifetime ban would be taken only after the meeting of all members from the managing committee of MCA next week, MCA Joint Secretary Nitin Dalal said.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Iqbal Shaikh agreed that the actor was drunk and said police were looking into the matter.
‘Shah Rukh was drunk. He was smelling of alcohol but he was not drinking at the Wankhede stadium. But it is not an offence. He was also abusing and threatening MCA and BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) officials,’ said Sheikh.
Sheikh, who is also a member of the MCA managing committee, said he was present at the ground and tried to prevent the situation from turning ugly.
As the controversy swirled, IPL Chairman Rajiv Shukla said a decision would be taken only after getting all the versions.
The scuffle is unwelcome news for the star, who was in the spotlight in January this year for slapping director Shirish Kunder at a party hosted by Sanjay Dutt.
Shah Rukh’s colleagues in Bollywood appeared to be strangely quiet at this latest controversy with no immediate reactions.
