Thursday, September 22 2005 11:58 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Bollywood starlet Preeti Jain has admitted to having employed an aide of Maharashtra MLA Arun Gawli and paid Rs 40,000 to him to kill filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar, sources in the forensic laboratory where she underwent brain mapping and lie-detector tests said.

It also came to light during the tests on Jain and polygraph and narco-analysis test on Gawli aide Naresh Pardesi that she gave the money to Pardesi. The office manager of Gawli, who came to know of it, informed Bhandarkar, the sources told sources.

During the tests, it was also revealed that Bhandarkar also gave Rs 50,000 to Gawli who told Pardesi to 'go slow', sources said.

When confronted with the question on alleged payment of money to Gawli, Bhandarkar told sourcesthat he does not know either Gawli or Pardesi. "How such a thing can be said when there is a contract to kill me?" the director added.

The report on the tests had been sent to the Mumbai Police, the sources said.

Jain, arrested for allegedly giving 'supari' (contract) to Gawli's aide to eliminate Bhandarkar, was subjected to brain-mapping and lie detector tests in Bangalore on Tuesday last.

Pardesi, who was also arrested for allegedly hatching a criminal conspiracy with Jain, underwent the tests on Wednesday last.

Jain had created a stir last year when she had lodged a complaint accusing Bhandarkar of her sexual exploitation-promising role in films.