Black Buck case: Pataudi denies threatning co-accused

Former Indian skipper Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, accused in a black buck poaching case in Haryana, has denied that he had threatened a co-accused to change his testimony to the police or face consequences.

Reacting to media reports about co-accused Madan Singh's allegation that Pataudi had threatened him, Bhushan Arya, the former cricketer's counsel, said on Thursday, "There is no question of issuing any threat to anybody." He said Singh was present at a meeting at Pataudi's residence in Vasant Vihar here on Aug 20 in which the case was discussed.

"There was no threat whatsoever. I represent both the accused. There was no occasion for any change of statement that would benefit one and prejudice the other," Arya said.

Contradicting reports that the Delhi Police had lodged a complaint against Pataudi on the alleged threat, the counsel said this could not be correct because there was no such procedure.

Arya said since the matter was sub-judice, he would not like to discuss details and that he was only clarifying the unsubstantiated media reports on the alleged threat to the co-accused. He said Pataudi had been appearing before the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Jhajjar in Haryana, where the court is hearing a petition over jurisdiction.