Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and her businessman husband Raj Kundra are currently facing legal trouble over an alleged whopping Rs 60-crore fraud case. The couple, already facing legal heat, may find themselves under more scrutiny as new reports suggest that their employees are now being questioned in connection with the alleged fraud.
Four company employees summoned for EOW questioning
As reported by NDTV, the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has issued summons to four employees of Best Deal Private Limited, a company owned by Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra. The firm is at the centre of a police case accusing the couple of duping a businessman, Deepak Kothari, of nearly Rs 60 crore in a loan-cum-investment deal.
According to officials, one of the four employees has already recorded his statement with the EOW and may be called again if needed. The remaining three are expected to appear for questioning soon. All of them reportedly held senior positions in the company at the time.
EOW investigates spending and salary payments
The main aim of questioning these employees is to uncover how the money was used and whether the company’s financial claims hold up. The EOW is looking to verify Raj Kundra’s statement that Rs 20 crore was spent on office furnishings. Officials also want to know how the staff were paid , whether their salaries came from the company’s earnings or other unknown sources.Investigators are trying to connect every piece of the money trail to see if Best Deal Private Limited had enough genuine business orders to justify taking such a large loan in the name of investment.
EOW plans to question suppliers and advertisers
According to the report, the EOW will soon question product suppliers and companies that advertised for Kundra’s business. After these statements are recorded, the police may summon Raj Kundra again for further questioning if they find any inconsistencies.
Raj Kundra blamed demonetisation for heavy losses
During questioning earlier in October, Raj Kundra reportedly told officials that his company, which traded in electrical and household appliances, suffered heavy losses after demonetisation in 2016. He claimed that due to the financial crisis, the firm could not repay the borrowed funds.
Deepak Kothari accuses couple of cheating
The case dates back to a complaint filed by businessman Deepak Kothari, who alleged that between 2015 and 2023, Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra convinced him to invest Rs 60 crore in Best Deal TV Private Limited, a home-shopping and online-retail platform. However, Kothari claimed that the money was used by the couple for their personal benefit instead of business purposes.A case was officially registered against Shetty and Kundra, who were directors of the now-defunct company, on August 14 in Mumbai for allegedly cheating Kothari in the investment deal.
Part of the funds paid to Bollywood actors
Raj Kundra also claimed that a part of the Rs 60 crore investment was used to pay actors Bipasha Basu and Neha Dhupia for their involvement in the company’s promotional activities.Disclaimer: The information in this report is based on a legal hearing as reported by a third-party source. The details provided represent allegations made by the parties involved and are not proven facts. The case is ongoing, and a final verdict has not been reached. The publication does not claim that the allegations are true.
