Indian photo-journalist Dheeraj Dikshit, who had been accused of being involved in spot-fixing by Veena Malik, today claimed that the Pakistani actor is a "bookmaker", managing seven of her country's top players, and demanded the Ministry of External Affairs to immediately cancel her visa.
Malik, who is participating in the reality TV show Bigg Boss-4 on Colors channel, had accused Dikshit of being involved in match-fixing and remaining in touch with her ex-boyfriend Mohammad Asif.
Pakistan speedster Asif is currently suspended by the ICC pending a disciplinary hearing into allegations of spot-fixing during the Lord's Test in August. "I have written a letter to the Ministry of External Affairs, demanding the cancellation of her visa. I don't want her to remain in India for a minute. She has tarnished my image, left me unemployed. It's an assassination of my character. I am not being able to pay attention towards anything. I want the government to take defiant action against Veena," said an angry Dheeraj.
"The Colors channel is portraying her like a big celebrity. How can you cast a characterless person in any Indian show? One needs to understand she tried to drag an Indian national into the murky world of betting and fixing.She is a criminal, a match-fixer," claimed the controversial photographer.
Dikshit, who accepted he was close to pace bowler Asif professionally, revealed that it was in the month of January this year that he got a call from the model-turned-actress in Dhaka. "I have never met her and during our first interaction, she tried to become very friendly. Before calling me, she called me at my Delhi number 4-5 times which my wife answered.
My wife gave her my Dhaka number and on the very first note, she started flirting with me. "Veena was aware of the fact that I was good friends with Asif and so she contacted me. She said we could strike a big deal if I wish so. She said she is managing seven top players and to substantiate her claims, she told me the results of Pakistan's upcoming series with Australia, Sri Lanka and England. Later, I found, her claims were all true," said Dheeraj.
{{/usCountry}}My wife gave her my Dhaka number and on the very first note, she started flirting with me. "Veena was aware of the fact that I was good friends with Asif and so she contacted me. She said we could strike a big deal if I wish so. She said she is managing seven top players and to substantiate her claims, she told me the results of Pakistan's upcoming series with Australia, Sri Lanka and England. Later, I found, her claims were all true," said Dheeraj.
{{/usCountry}}The photographer also claimed that Mazhar Majeed, the man at the centre of the spot-fixing controversy that engulfed the Lord's Test, was Veena's London-based boyfriend and known and dated each other on and off for three years. "She used to say that Maz is her London-based boyfriend.
Later I realised that 'Maz' is Mazhar Majeed who used to get endorsement deal for the players," he said. Dikshit, who is contemplating legal action against Veena, also alleged that he is receiving death threats from an unknown number on his mobile phone.