Mumbai: Actress Shilpa Shetty has broken her silence amid the ongoing investigation into the alleged fraud of Rs 60 crore.
The actress said that she has been wrongly named in the case and added that her role with the concerned company was limited and non-operational.
In a statement released by her team, Shetty said she was “deeply saddened” by what she described as a “baseless attempt” to link her to the case. The actress further clarified that her association with the company was entirely in a non-executive capacity, with no involvement in its daily functioning, finances or decision making.
The statement read, “I am deeply saddened by the baseless attempt to link my name to this matter. My association with the company was entirely in a non-executive capacity, with no role in its operations, finances, decision making or any signing authority. In fact, like many other public figures, I had endorsed certain products for the Home Shopping Channel in a professional capacity, for which I am owed payment.”
Shetty further alleged that his family had lent a huge amount to the company and said that around Rs 20 crore was given as a loan and the amount is “unpaid”.
She said, “I wish to place on record that we as a family have given a loan of approximately Rs 20 crore to the company, and the said amount has not been repaid. The mischievous attempt to impose criminal liability on me, especially after an unexplained delay of almost nine years, is legally untenable and contrary to the established principles of law.”
The statement further said, “Despite these facts, my name is being unnecessarily dragged into the proceedings, which is both disturbing and unfair. Such unwarranted allegations not only misrepresent the facts but also unfairly trample upon the dignity, integrity and reputation of a woman in the public sphere.”
“With the annulment petition already filed before the Honorable Bombay High Court, I have full confidence in the judicial process and will seek appropriate legal remedies to protect my rights and reputation,” the statement said.
Urging the media to report responsibly and verify facts before publishing, Shetty said, “I respectfully request the media to take note of these facts and report responsibly by verifying the veracity of the facts.”
Meanwhile, Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra also denied the allegations. Earlier, in a post on his
“We categorically deny the baseless and motivated allegations being circulated. The issues sought to be raised are being given a criminal coloration without any legal basis.”
A quashing petition has already been filed before the Honorable High Court and the decision is pending. Having fully cooperated with the investigation, we are confident that justice will be served and we have full confidence in the law enforcement authorities and the Indian judiciary. We respectfully request restraint from the media as the matter is sub judice.”
For those unaware, in August a case was registered against Shilpa Shetty, her husband Raj Kundra and another person for defrauding a businessman of over Rs 60 crore.
The complaint filed by businessman Deepak Kothari, director of Lotus Capital Financial Services Ltd, claims that the incidents occurred between 2015 and 2023. Kothari alleged that the couple took the money on the pretext of expanding their business but used it for personal expenses.
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