Bandara Kurla complex police were ordered by the Mumbai Sessions Court to probe into allegations of cheating against actress Shilpa Shetty and her businessman husband Raj Kundra made by bullion trader Prithviraj Saremal Kothari. The couple has responded to these claims through their advocate who has issued a statement about the fraud case filed against them clarifying that even though they are innocent, the claimant received full payment from them.
Statement on behalf of Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty
The statement stated, “The complainant had a moved a criminal complaint against my clients Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty in year of 2022. This complaint was thoroughly investigated by the police in 2022 as per procedure. It has been found out after a comprehensive investigation that indeed, it is true that the complainant was paid all amounts that he alleged were owed amounting Rs.90 lacs. These documents were genuinely given by my clients to the police station; they are able to ascertain this fact by going through them. The culprits were therefore handled accordingly as it turned out.
It added, “Afterwards, he filed private complaint under sec 156(3) CrPC before Hon’ble Courts.” Nearly two years later, police have been asked by Hon’ble Court to re-enquire into this matter. We trust and believe in the impartiality of the enquiry processes without doubt because truth will always prevail over lies. There is no document possessed or known to my client which shows any offence on their part at all. On top of that they say there is an arbitration clause between both parties when invoice produced to us.
“However, if the complainant was not satisfied with just receiving ‘interest’, then Arbitration clause could be evoked in such disputes,” explained the statement’s last section of such nature.” However, many Indian courts are well settled that criminal prosecution for settling commercial disputes is deprecated. My clients are going to fight this in the court and they will cooperate with agencies of investigation. At the later stage, my clients may sue the complainant for malicious proceedings.”
On Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra’s Case
According to Kothari’s complaint, Shetty and Kundra through their company Satyug Gold Private Limited started an investment scheme in 2014. As stated by Kothari, investors were seduced by giving them an opportunity to buy a fixed amount of gold at a discounted price upfront on fixed date regardless of how the market was behaving. It is further argued that he invested Rs 90 lakhs for receiving 5000 grams of pure gold of 24 carat which had been promised to be delivered on April 2nd, 2019 only that he claims not having acquired it or even its equal value at all post-maturity wherein he was issued with only a post-dated cheque amounting to Rs.90 lacs being principal sum only as claimed by him instead of gold itself.