Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty and her husband, businessman Raj Kundra, are facing serious fraud charges after a Mumbai-based businessman accused them of cheating him of Rs 60.48 crore. The case revolves around their now-defunct company, Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd, an online shopping venture where Shetty once held over 87% shares.
Businessman Deepak Kothari alleged that between 2015 and 2016, he transferred over Rs 60 crore as part of a loan-cum-investment deal arranged through an agent, Rajesh Arya. Initially pitched as a Rs 75 crore loan at 12% interest, the deal was restructured as an “investment” to avoid higher taxes. Kothari said Shetty even gave a personal guarantee in April 2016, but resigned as director months later.
He now claims the celebrity couple diverted the funds towards personal use, leaving his repeated pleas unanswered. The Economic Offences Wing is investigating the matter, which Kothari describes as a well-planned conspiracy stretching nearly a decade.
