MUMBAI: A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra on complaint by a businessman for allegedly dumping him of INR 1.51 crore, according to Indian media.
The FIR was registered on Saturday at Mumbai Bandra police station based on complaint by businessman Nitin Barai. The complainant alleged that in July 2014, Kaashif Khan, the director of SFL Fitness company, along with Shetty, Kundra and others asked him to invest INR 1.51 crore into the enterprise to earn a profit, as reported by Indian media.
The complainant claimed he was assured that the SFL Fitness company will provide him a franchise and open a gym and spa at Hadapsar and Koregaon in neighbouring Pune, but it did not materialise, the FIR stated. Later, when the complainant sought his money back, he was allegedly threatened, the police official said quoting the complaint.
Based on the complaint, the Bandra police registered the FIR under various Indian Penal Code Sections, including 420 (cheating), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 34 (common intention), he said, adding that an investigation into the case was underway.
‘Shilpa Shetty shocked’
Shilpa Shetty Kundra shared a note expressing her shock over the latest cheating case registered against her and her husband Raj Kundra.
Shilpa Shetty took to her Instagram and Twitter accounts to clarify that she and Raj Kundra were not involved in the said case and that it ‘pains’ to see her name and reputation being damaged.
“Woke up to an FIR registered in Raj and my name! Shocked!! To set the record straight, SFL Fitness, a venture run by Kashiff Khan. He had taken naming rights of brand SFL to open SFL Fitness Gyms around the country,” she wrote.
Shilpa continued, “All deals were struck by him and he was signatory in banking and day-to-day affairs. We are not aware of any of his transactions not have we received a single rupee from him for the same. All franchisee’s dealt directly with Kashiff. The company closed in 2014 and was entirely handled by Kashiff Khan (sic).”
“I have worked very hard over the last 28 years and it pains me to see that my name and reputation is getting damaged and dragged so loosely to get eyeballs. My rights as a law-abiding proud citizen in India should be protected. With gratitude, Shilpa Shetty Kundra,” she concluded the post.
Raj Kundra was in the news for another legal trouble earlier this year. In July, he was arrested in a porn-related case. He was released on bail in September.
