Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and her husband, businessman Raj Kundra, are facing fresh legal trouble. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has summoned the couple in connection with a financial fraud case involving approximately 81 crore taka, reports NDTV.
The EOW had initially asked them to appear on September 10, but Kundra’s request for a postponement led to an earlier appearance on September 9, coinciding with his 50th birthday. Instead of celebrations, Kundra faced intense police questioning.
Authorities have also imposed a travel ban on the couple to prevent them from leaving India. The case extends to the auditor of India’s National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), who has been summoned for questioning.
Previously, the couple had sent lawyers in their place, but the EOW deemed the submissions incomplete, leading to a formal FIR.
The FIR, filed at Mumbai’s Juhu police station, states that Deepak Kothari, director of Lotus Capital Financial Services, invested Rs 60.48 crore in Shilpa and Raj’s company, Best Deal TV Private Limited, between 2015 and 2023. Kothari alleges the couple diverted the funds for personal use instead of business purposes.
Shilpa’s lawyer Prashant Patil dismissed the claims, stating that Kothari was a partner in the company and his son served as a director. Patil emphasized that profits and losses were to be shared per an equity agreement, making the allegations baseless.
This is not the first legal storm for the couple. Raj Kundra has faced accusations of financial misappropriation, tax evasion and investment fraud, and was previously arrested in a pornography-related case.
The ongoing investigation has sparked discussions in Bollywood and the investment community alike.
Legal experts note that if Kothari’s claims hold, the couple could face serious consequences; if Shilpa-Raj’s defense prevails, the complainant may be liable.
Kundra’s milestone birthday has, inadvertently, turned into another high-profile controversy.
