Ness Wadia and Preity Zinta at an IPL match. (PTI)

Mohali, May 26: Yuvraj’s Kings are on a roll, but not those who run it.

Ness Wadia, business magnate from the Bombay Dyeing group and co-owner of the Mohali IPL team, has been accused by a senior police officer of using “derogatory” language against him following a verbal spat.

The accusation comes barely a week after two cheerleaders disclosed that they were asked to leave the Mohali ground “because of the colour of their skin” by the event management company hired by Wadia and girlfriend Preity Zinta to handle their team, Kings XI Punjab.

Mohali’s senior superintendent of police Ranbir Singh Khatra has sent a complaint to district magistrate Rahul Bhandari, accusing Wadia of publicly insulting and using derogatory language against him. An enraged Khatra has also sought recovery of policing charges from the Punjab Cricket Association as he believes the IPL has been organised for “pecuniary gains only and not with the spirit to boost sports”.

Wadia could not be reached for comment and the Mohali team management refused to speak. “I can’t comment. I am getting a lot of phone calls on the matter but I am not in a position to comment,” Kings XI Punjab CEO Neil Maxwell said.

Wadia and the IPS officer were allegedly involved in a verbal spat at the Punjab Cricket Association pavilion during the game against Deccan Chargers on Friday.

Khatra said Wadia accused the Punjab police of black-marketing tickets, allowing unauthorised entry into the stadium and even “stealing” liquor bottles and Kings XI T-shirts from the pavilion lounge.

In his strongly worded missive to the district magistrate with copies to the state home secretary and the police brass, Khatra alleged Wadia also undermined the officer’s social status and class by terming him “small” and “mean”.

The enraged officer went a step further and promised action if the two cheerleaders who have claimed racial harassment lodged a complaint with his force.

“I will also take action if the two cheerleaders file a complaint to me over the racial discrimination they faced. They were our guests,” Khatra said.

The two girls — Ellesha Newton and Sherinne Anderson — have not accused Kings XI of racial discrimination. They have pointed the finger at Wizcraft International Entertainment, an event management company, which has denied the allegation. The cheerleaders’ manager Jorge Aldana has said Preity had called him and said she was not aware of the incident.

According to Khatra’s complaint, Wadia met him at the reception on Friday and accused the police of not only selling tickets in black but also allowing unauthorised persons inside the stadium. Wadia further alleged that police personnel had “stolen” the Mohali team’s T-shirts and his liquor in the last match, besides “terrorising” team management personnel in the stadium.

Khatra said he told Wadia there was no question of the police indulging in blackmarketing as the stadium was half-empty and tickets were easily available.

“After I asked Wadia to lodge a formal complaint on his suspicions, he started shouting at me. Punjab Cricket Association president I.S. Bindra then appeared and tried to pacify Wadia who left only after sarcastically remarking that that he did not want to talk to small and mean people,” Khatra said in his complaint.

The officer claimed that the business magnate was irked by the police raising objection to Wadia and IPL commissioner Lalit Modi smoking inside the stadium. “Smoking is banned in public places and I have even complained against Modi. Smoking in public places is an offence in the region,” said Khatra.

The SSP has also stated that since the IPL matches were being played for “pecuniary gains only and not with the spirit to boost sports”, the organisers be charged for the security provided by the police.