EOW records Raj Kundra’s statement in alleged Rs 60 crore cheating case

MUMBAI: The Mumbai police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) recorded Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra’s statement on Monday in an alleged case related to cheating a businessman of Rs 60 crore.

According to EOW, the next interrogation may take place next week. However, statements of more witnesses are yet to be investigated and verified. The next round of interrogation will start only after thoroughly scrutinising the statements of the witnesses.

On September 5, a Lookout Circular (LOC) was issued against Shetty and Raj Kundra, by Mumbai Police in an alleged Rs 60 crore cheating case. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police, which is probing the case, issued the LOC earlier. The complainant’s lawyers, Dr. Yusuf Iqbal and Adv. Zain Shroff of YNA Legal, had earlier demanded that a lookout circular be issued in the case.

In August, a case was filed against Shilpa Shetty, her husband Raj Kundra, and another person for allegedly cheating a businessman of over Rs 60 crore. The complaint, filed by businessman Deepak Kothari, director of Lotus Capital Financial Services Ltd, claims the incidents took place between 2015 and 2023.

Kothari alleged that the couple took the money under the pretext of expanding their business but used it for personal expenses instead. According to Kothari, in 2015, Shetty and Kundra approached him through a mediator seeking a Rs 75 crore loan for their company, Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd, which promoted lifestyle products and ran an online shopping platform. The proposed interest rate was 12 per cent.

Later, they reportedly asked him to provide the funds as an “investment” instead of a loan, assuring him of monthly returns and repayment of principal. Kothari claimed he transferred Rs 31.95 crore in April 2015 under a share subscription agreement, and another Rs 28.53 crore in September 2015 under a supplementary agreement.

The total amount was credited to Best Deal TV’s bank accounts. Repeated attempts to recover the funds allegedly failed, and Kothari accused the couple of “dishonestly using” the money for personal benefit. Shilpa and Raj’s lawyer Prashant Patil has denied the allegations and said they will present “our truth” before investigating agencies. (ANI)