Having denied Headley link, Kangna Ranaut heads back to Mumbai

Shimla, Nov 20 (IANS) Bollywood actress Kangna Ranaut, whose father strongly denied that she had any link with 26/11 terror suspect David Coleman Headley, headed back to Mumbai Friday morning after a few days at her ancestral home in Himachal Pradesh.

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 attacks in Mumbai, and was planning more attacks in India at the behest of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba.

'Kangna returned to Mumbai this (Friday) morning after spending a few days with us to mourn the death of her great grandfather. She is again back to her hectic shooting schedules,' Kangna's father Amardeep Ranaut told IANS over phone from their family home in Bhambla village near Hamirpur, some 200 km from Himachal capital Shimla.

Kangna has eight films in hand and would focus on completing them soon, he said.

'Kangna is busy in completing some of her films. The shooting of 'Tannu Weds Mannu' is also going on. For this film, she will shortly travel across various locations in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi,' he said.

Amardeep has strongly denied Kangna ever had any link with Headley.

'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,' he said.

'It (the controversy) is just a media (news channels) creation. No security agency has so far contacted or summoned Kangna in this connection.'

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. Of course, Bhatt sahib helped her a lot during her initial days in film industry.'

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 Bhatts -- that Rahul introduced Headley to Bollywood stars Emraan Hashmi, Aarti Chhabria and Kangna Ranaut.

Kangna's films 'Raaz The Mystery Continues' and 'Fashion' did fairly well at the box office.

She has recently signed up for Milan Luthria's 'Once Upon A Time In Mumbai'. The film explores the growth of underworld in Mumbai in 70s and 80s. Ajay Devgn will play the lead.