Shilpa Shetty Breaks Silence as Cheating Charges Added in Rs 60 Crore Case

Actor Shilpa Shetty and her businessman husband Raj Kundra have come under renewed legal scrutiny after Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) added cheating charges in an alleged Rs 60 crore fraud case. The development follows a complaint by Mumbai-based businessman Deepak Kothari, who has accused the couple of cheating him in a loan-cum-investment arrangement linked to their now-defunct company, Best Deal TV Private Limited.

According to Kothari’s legal representatives, the EOW found sufficient material during its investigation to invoke cheating provisions under the Indian Penal Code. The complainant’s lawyers have also indicated that they intend to approach the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to initiate proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), seeking to trace and possibly attach assets connected to the alleged proceeds of crime.

The FIR was registered on August 14 after Kothari alleged that between 2015 and 2023, he was persuaded to invest nearly Rs 60 crore in Best Deal TV. He has claimed that the funds, which were meant for business operations, were allegedly diverted for personal use an allegation that forms the basis for the newly added cheating charge.

During the investigation, Raj Kundra reportedly stated that a portion of the funds was paid as professional fees to actors Bipasha Basu and Neha Dhupia. He has also maintained that Best Deal TV, which dealt in electrical and household appliances, suffered heavy losses following demonetisation in 2016, leading to financial distress and the inability to repay the invested amount.

Soon after reports of the additional charges emerged, Shilpa Shetty issued a statement on social media, strongly denying all allegations. She described the claims as “baseless and motivated” and said a purely civil dispute was being wrongly portrayed as a criminal case without legal merit. The actor confirmed that a petition seeking to quash the FIR has already been filed before the High Court and is currently pending.

Shetty further stated that both she and her husband have fully cooperated with the investigation and expressed confidence in the judicial process. She also urged the media to exercise restraint and avoid speculation, noting that the matter is sub judice.

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