Potter star Afshan wants father’s, brother’s death-threat charges dropped

London: Harry Potter star Afshan Azad has pleaded with a court for the death-threat charges against her father and brother to be dropped. Azad, 22, who plays Hogwarts pupil Padma Patil in the blockbuster movies, had claimed that they had threatened to kill her in an “honour-based” family row.

She claims she has since attempted to retract the statement, and entered the plea saying she did not support the prosecution, but Manchester magistrates still went on to commit her father Abdul Azad, 54, and his 28-year-old son Ashraf for trial. “I dearly love my father and brother. The proceedings have caused me no end of distress and if it goes ahead it will make things much worse for me,” the Daily Express quoted her as saying in a statement given to her brother’s lawyer. She was at the court in a room separated from her father and brother, who is also accused of causing his sister actual bodily harm. “The Crown would say these are honour-based crimes,” Prosecutor Jennifer Baines told the court. “The alleged argument essentially stems from the brother finding out that his sister was in a relationship with a Hindu male. “This leads to what the Crown would say is an assault on her, with the Bengali words ‘Just kill her’ said,” she added. John Wolfson, defending Ashraf Azad, told the court that all the charges were contested. “Over the last several weeks the complainant in this matter has made it clear to the prosecution directly that she does not support the prosecution at all in this matter,” he stated. The men were granted bail on the condition they would not contact Afshan. The case will be heard at Manchester Crown Court on August 23. ANI