Bollywood actress and star witness in the Bharat Shah case on Thursday supported the prosecution's case by telling a special court that she had received extortion threat from a gangster in 2000.
Preity, however, denied having disclosed it to actor Sanjay Dutt, according to reports.
Incidentally, Preity is the first Bollywood star who has not turned hostile in this case.
Preity told designated judge A P Bhangale that she had received a call on her cell phone when she was shooting for film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke. "Main Bhai Ka Aadmi Hoon (I am Bhai's man). Pay Rs 50 lakh or face consequences," the caller had threatened.
Preity admitted to having considered it a "crank call" which she refused to take seriously.
Preity said she had informed Pankaj Kharbanda of the threatening call. Incidentally, Pankaj happens to be the secretary of Sanjay Dutt as well.
"It is quite possible that he may have informed Dutt about it. In any case, the entire Bollywood came to know about the threat," she said.
Prosecutor Rohini Salian urged the court to declare Preity a hostile witness as she had gone back on her statement recorded by police that she had informed Dutt about the extortion threat.
The court, however, did not declare her hostile as she had supported the prosecution.
Thirteen others who have not supported the prosecution include Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Rakesh Roshan, Ratan Jain, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sanjay Gupta, Harish Sughand, Ali Morani, Anees Bazme and Mohammed Morani.
Bollywood actress and star witness in the Bharat Shah case on Thursday supported the prosecution's case by telling a special court that she had received extortion threat from a gangster in 2000.