Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra charged with cheating in Rs 60 crore fraud case

Troubles seem to be mounting for actress Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra in the Rs 60-crore fraud case. The couple, facing a Mumbai police probe in a Rs 60-crore criminal breach of trust case, have now been charged with cheating, officials said on Wednesday. Police`s Economic Offences Wing (EOW), probing the case, has invoked a cheating charge against the high-profile couple in addition to criminal breach of trust.

Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra accused of cheating

According to an official, earlier the case was registered under Section 406 of the IPC (punishment for criminal breach of trust) against the celebrity couple, and after investigation, Section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) has been added. They were booked under the IPC as the case was filed before the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) came into force on July 1, 2024. On conviction, cheating under the IPC attracts imprisonment for up to seven years, plus a fine.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Raj Kundra (@onlyrajkundra)

About the fraud case

The case was registered on a complaint filed by a 60-year-old businessman, Deepak Kothari, a resident of Mumbai`s Juhu, alleging he was duped of Rs 60.4 crore in a loan-cum-investment deal linked to the now-defunct company Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd (where Kundra and Shetty were directors). The EOW has already recorded statements of Kundra and Shetty in connection with the case. The couple`s legal team has dismissed the allegations, stating the matter is purely civil in nature and had already been adjudicated by NCLT Mumbai in October 2024.

Apart from this, Shilpa Shetty was in the news as an FIR was filed against her restaurant Bastian in Bengaluru for violating operating rules.

After the news surfaced, Shilpa and Raj denied allegations against them and dubbed them baseless. "We categorically deny the baseless and motivated allegations being circulated. The issues sought to be raised are being given a criminal colour without any lawful basis," he said in a post.

"A quashing petition has already been filed before the Hon`ble High Court and is pending adjudication. Having fully cooperated with the investigation, we are sanguine that justice will prevail and have complete faith in law enforcement authorities and the Indian judiciary. We respectfully urge the media to exercise restraint as the matter is sub-judice," Kundra said further.