In a bombshell development, prominent Bhojpuri actress Aakanksha Awasthi and her husband stand accused of orchestrating a massive 11.5 crore rupee fraud. The Pantnagar police in Mumbai have launched a full probe after businessman Hitesh Kantilal Ajmera lodged a formal complaint, triggering an FIR under key provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Ajmera, who runs a customs clearance business, fell prey to a meticulously crafted con. The accused duo, Vivek Kumar (aka Abhishek Kumar Singh Chauhan) and Aakanksha, projected an image of film industry heavyweights. They flaunted their ‘AKS Pathshala Entertainment’ studio in Andheri West as a thriving center for Bhojpuri productions and talent grooming, promising Ajmera lucrative stakes, stardom, and a whopping 200 crore interest-free loan.
The plot thickened with Vivek’s yarn about 300 crore rupees trapped in a Betiah warehouse due to legal entanglements. He solicited funds to unlock it, guaranteeing a swift 200 crore payback without interest. Aakanksha’s personal endorsements sealed the deal. Over four months from March to July 2024, Ajmera funneled 11.5 crore into multiple accounts.
Trust-building maneuvers included a Patna visit with sham warehouse documents and a aborted Betiah trip. Disaster struck on July 5 when Vivek bolted mid-journey, citing sweets, and went incommunicado. Excuses fizzled out, leaving Ajmera reeling from losses and health woes that postponed his police report until January 28.
Investigators are dissecting financial trails, verifying the studio, scrutinizing documents, and tracing accomplices. Transferred to the Economic Offences Wing, this case underscores vulnerabilities in high-stakes dealings with entertainment figures. The Bhojpuri fraternity watches anxiously as this fraud saga unfolds, potentially tarnishing reputations across the board.
