Vinod Kambli, the former Indian cricketer of India who served for 17 Tests and 104 ODIs is alleged for assaulting a 59-year-old man who was identified as Raj Kumar Tiwari, the father of Bollywood singer Ankit Tiwari. While accusing the Kambli along with his wife Andrea Hewitt in the matter, the singer said: “My father, a retired bank employee, had accompanied my daughter to the Game Zone. My father told me he spotted Vinod Kambli there, and as he was walking past a woman, he blacked out”. “My father was disoriented after the attack. He couldn't believe he had been punched, and that a woman was screaming, accusing him of brushing his hand against her. I asked my father to identify the woman, and we realized she was Kambli's wife.”, he added.
Notably, the Tiwari family have filed an FIR for the same against the couple but denying such claims the cricketer said: “We were at the Game Zone in the mall around 3 pm when my wife caught hold of an old man's hand. He had deliberately brushed his hand against her and when she caught him in the act, he pushed her away,”. “Minutes later when we were at the food court, two men, who we assume were the man's sons, tried to attack my wife. When I told them to back off, they told me, 'You don't know who we are'," Kambli elaborated the incident to Mumbai Mirror.
Andrea termed the incident as “advantage of the crowds” and further anecdotes that “I was playing with my children when this guy took the opportunity to rub his hand against me. Maybe he thought nothing would happen because it was crowded. When I caught his hand, I was surprised to see this old man. He appeared embarrassed because I had caught him red-handed,”. Further, she explained that “He appeared scared, and said something in Hindi, on the lines that 'I cannot do something like this'. The inappropriate touching ka zamaana is over. Such things should be dealt with strictly,”.
Notably, Andrea was accused of threatening RK Tiwari to hit him with her sandals as the singer’s father said: “I told them I wanted to speak with them, but they pushed me and hurled abuses. Kambli's wife removed her sandal and threatened to hit me with it,”
While stating the further proceedings in the matter Vinay Bane, senior inspector of Bangur Nagar Police Station said: “We are probing the matter, after which necessary action will be initiated. As of now, a non-cognisable offence has been registered,”
Notably, the incident was of Inorbit Mall in Malad, Mumbai.