The Bandra metropolitan magistrate today started recording the evidence of Yusuf Lakdawala who claimed that he had never threatened the actress.
Sadhana, in August last year, had lodged a complaint with the suburban Santacruz police accusing Lakdawala of issuing death threats to her if she failed to vacate her 3000 sq ft house located in suburban Santacruz.
The 71-year-old actress resides on the ground floor of the two-storey bungalow 'Sangeeta' with her niece and servants. While actress Baby Naaz lives on the first floor, the second floor is occupied by Lakdawala's mother-in-law and relatives.
Sadhana in her complaint had claimed that Lakdawala wanted to redevelop the property for which he had been allegedly threatening her to vacate the house.
Following the complaint, Lakdawala was arrested in November and let off on bail after a day. The builder then approached the Bandra metropolitan magistrate claiming that he was being falsely implicated and defamed by Sadhana while denying that he ever threatened her.
The magistrate then directed the police to probe the allegations and submit a report. The police, after verifying mobile phone data and tracing locations of both Sadhana and Lakdawala's phones, submitted a report stating that the complaint filed by the actress appeared to be false.
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Following this, Lakdawala filed a defamation suit in the lower court.
The builder today deposed in the court saying noted singer Asha Bhosale, who earlier owned the property, had sold the Santa Cruz bungalow to another developer in 2008, which was objected by Sadhana and other tenants.
Lakdawala earlier alleged that Sadhana had used "political pressure to pressurise" him.
He would be cross-examined by Sadhana's lawyer next week.