‘Balakrishna can’t use firearm’

‘‘We are not familiar with the use of weapons. I can neither hold a knife nor Balakrishna can use a firearm. I am a fan and a well-wisher of the actor. I am even planning to produce a film with him soon and I bear no grudges against him,’’ the producer said.

On being reminded about the statement he made in court that the actor opened fire at him even as he was running out of the house, Suresh said he could not recall what he told the court since he was in a state of shock at the time.

Suresh denied entering into heated exchanges with Balakrishna over sharing the revenues of the super-hit film Lakshmi Narasimha. ‘‘We just had a minor argument over Balakrishna’s birthday celebrations scheduled for June 10’’.

Meanwhile, doctors at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) where Balakrishna is undergoing treatment, said the actor would continue to be hospitalised at least for a week.

The doctors submitted a report to the court of the Fifth Metropolitan Magistrate today, stating that NIMS had all the facilities required and there was no need to shift the actor back to Care Hospital for further treatment.

Suresh, who was shifted from the intensive care unit of the Apollo Hospitals to a special ward following improvement in his condition, told reporters that he did not know who had shot at him.

At a separate news conference, NIMS director Prof Kakarla Subba Rao said the blood clots in the lung vessels and leg vessels of the actor have been cleared.

Subba Rao said that Balakrishna was suffering from ‘‘depression’’ and the psychiatrist at NIMS visited him twice but Balakrishna refused to cooperate saying he was feeling sleepy or was suffering from some pain. This was not a drug-induced drowsiness, he said.