Prowling paparazzi get a dose from Sunanda’s father

JAMMU - Media personnel got an earful Tuesday when they assembled outside the home of retired army officer P.N. Dass, whose daughter Sunanda is at the centre of the Kochi Indian Premier League (IPL) controversy for her reported share of Rs.70 crore.

Dass’ house in sector 5 of Channi Himmat locality was the focus of media attention after news reports about Sunanda, who has business interests in Dubai, and her purported links with Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor hit the headlines.

Journalists who gathered for a quote or a soundbite or two were greeted by abuse from Sunanda’s father, Lt Col (retd) Dass. He first told camerapersons and reporters to go away. When they continued to hurl questions, he used abusive language.

The family had migrated to Jammu in 1990 when their house was burnt down by militants in Bommai in Sopore in the Kashmir Valley.

More than 350,000 Kashmiri Pandits had fled the Valley. They had sought shelter in Jammu, as did Sunanda’s family.

IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has claimed in his tweets that he was asked not to get into who owns the Rendezvous Sports World, one of the partners in the consortium that has 25 percent of the franchise for free; of this 18 percent is given to Tharoor’s friend Sunanda Pushkar and the balance is divided among three other Rendezvous members.