Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra caught in spotlight as alleged fraud audio clip goes viral

Actor Shilpa Shetty and her husband, businessman Raj Kundra, have been booked by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) following a complaint from city-based businessman Deepak Kothari, who claims he was cheated of Rs 60.4 crore.

The case, registered on Thursday, also names an unidentified third person. Kothari alleges the money was invested between 2015 and 2023 in Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd, a now-defunct company linked to Shetty and Kundra. According to him, the funds were meant for business expansion but were allegedly diverted for personal use.

Hours after the FIR was filed, an audio recording purportedly of a conversation between Kothari and Kundra began circulating on social media, shared by entertainment portal Filmygyan. In the clip, a voice identified as Kothari is heard stating the funds were an equity investment and not a loan. Another voice, said to be Kundra’s, is heard replying, “Karza toh liya nahi tha maine aapne, yeh baat maan ni padegi aapko.” The authenticity of the clip has not been independently verified by News18 Showsha or other outlets.

Couple Denies Criminal Wrongdoing

Following the complaint, the couple’s lawyer, Prashant Patil, issued a statement dismissing the allegations. Patil said the matter was “purely civil in nature” and had already been adjudicated by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in October 2024.

“This is an old transaction involving a company that went into financial distress. There is no element of criminality. All necessary documents, including detailed cash flow statements, have been submitted to the EOW over the past year,” Patil said. He added that company chartered accountants had visited the police station over 15 times to cooperate with investigators.

Patil further asserted that the funds were part of an equity investment agreement and that a liquidation order for the company had been provided to authorities. He called the case “baseless and malicious,” alleging it was aimed at damaging his clients’ reputations, and said legal action was being planned against those responsible.

The EOW’s investigation is ongoing. Neither Shetty nor Kundra has made a direct public comment beyond their legal representative’s statement.