By Vishal Gulati
Shimla, Nov 19 (IANS) After Bollywood actress Kangna Ranaut's name surfaced in connection with the probe into David Coleman Headley -- a man suspected of involvement in the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai -- Kangna's father Thursday strongly denied any link.
Pakistani-origin US citizen Headley was recently arrested by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and charged with plotting terror attacks in Denmark. After his arrest, FBI officials have also alleged that he was involved in last year's 26/11 attack, and was planning more attacks in India at the behest of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba.
"My daughter (Kangna) has no links with Lashkar aide David Headley. She never met nor spoke to Headley. We are really disturbed after such allegations were levelled against her," her father Amardeep Ranaut told IANS over phone.
The family of Kangna is settled at Bhambla village near Hamirpur town of Himachal Pradesh, some 200 km from state capital Shimla.
"We are consulting lawyers in this regard. We will take legal action against those who are spreading rumours (about her link with Headley)," he said.
Asked about Kangna's acquaintance with filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt's son Rahul, Amardeep said: "She has worked in some of Mahesh Bhatt's films, but she has never met Rahul."
Rahul has been questioned as a witness in the Headley investigation, as Headley used Rahul's south Mumbai gym during his stay in the city a few days before the 26/11 attack.
Headley had befriended Rahul and there have been rumours -- denied by the Bhats -- that Rahul introduced Headley to Bollywood stars Emraan Hashmi, Aarti Chhabria and Kangna Ranaut.
"She will meet reporters at the appropriate time," Kangna's father said.
Kangna these days is in Himachal Pradesh to mourn the death of her great grandfather.