Shilpa Shetty has been on a spiritual sojourn of sorts these days as she visited the divine places of Vaishno Devi, Kedarnath and Maa Kamakhya Devi Temples for blessings.
Tag: Shilpa Shetty
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ED Freezes Raj Kundra’s Assets, Including Shilpa Shetty’s Juhu Flat, Worth Rs 97 Crore Under PMLA |
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday seized assets worth a whopping Rs 98 crore, which includes a luxurious bungalow in Pune and equity shares, all belonging to the renowned actor Shilpa Shetty and her entrepreneur husband Raj Kundra. The case revolves around the misuse of investor funds through the digital currency, Bitcoin. The seized properties comprise a plush residential flat in the upscale Juhu area of Mumbai, currently registered under Shetty’s name, and a residential bungalow in Pune along with equity shares, all in Kundra’s name.
The ED has issued a provisional attachment order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), effectively freezing these properties valued at Rs 97.79 crore.
The roots of this money laundering case trace back to FIRs lodged by the Maharashtra Police and Delhi Police against a company named Variable Tech Pte Ltd and several individuals including Late Amit Bhardwaj, Ajay Bhardwaj, Vivek Bhardwaj, Simpy Bhardwaj, Mahender Bhardwaj, and numerous agents. It was alleged that they had amassed a staggering amount of funds in the form of Bitcoins (valued at Rs 6,600 crore in 2017) from unsuspecting public, luring them with false promises of a 10% monthly return in the form of Bitcoins.
The promoters are accused of duping the investors and concealing the ill-gotten Bitcoins in obscure online wallets. The ED has alleged that Kundra received 285 Bitcoins from Amit Bhardwaj, the mastermind and promoter of the Gain Bitcoin Ponzi scam, for setting up a Bitcoin mining farm in Ukraine.
Interestingly, Kundra is still in possession of these 285 Bitcoins, which are currently valued at over Rs 150 crore, as per the ED’s statement.
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After 2 months in jail, businessman Raj Kundra gets bail in porn films case
By PTI
MUMBAI: A magistrate court here on Monday granted bail to businessman and actress Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra, an accused in a pornographic films case in which he was arrested two months ago.
Kundra’s associate Ryan Thorpe, who was arrested along with him in July, was also granted bail by the court.
Kundra (46) had filed a bail plea before the court, claiming there was not a single evidence against him in a supplementary charge-sheet filed by the Mumbai police crime branch in the case.
The businessman, in the plea, had claimed there was no evidence of him being “actively” involved in creation of alleged questionable porn content and that he was being made a “scapegoat” in the case.
ALSO READ: Concerned about media reports on Shilpa Shetty’s kids after Raj Kundra’s arrest, says Bombay HC
The police have said the probe conducted by the property cell of the crime branch has revealed that Kundra was the “main facilitator” in the porn films case.
A lot of evidences against Kundra came to light after technical analysis, witnesses’ statements and from documents confiscated from his office, it said.
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Pornography case: Mumbai court to hear bail plea of Raj Kundra, Ryan Thorpe
By ANI
MUMBAI: Mumbai sessions court will hear the bail plea of actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband and businessman Raj Kundra and his associate Ryan Thorpe today, August 5, 2021, in connection with the pornography case.
Currently, both are in judicial custody in the Pornography case. Earlier, their bail applications were rejected by Esplanade magistrate court, stating that the release of the accused will ‘hamper the investigation’ and the alleged offence is ‘detrimental to the health of the society’.
On August 2, the Bombay High Court reserved its order on petitions filed by businessman Raj Kundra and his associate Ryan Thorpe challenging their arrest in a case in connection with the pornography racket case.
During the proceedings of the court, the investigating officer told the court that 68 pornography videos were found on Kundra’s laptop.
Police added that a film script with sexual content was also found on Kundra’s personal laptop.
On July 27, a court in Mumbai sent actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband and businessman Raj Kundra along with his associate Ryan Thorpe to judicial custody for 14 days.
Kundra was arrested by police on July 19 along with 11 other people on charges related to the alleged creation of pornographic films.
Earlier on July 25, police had informed that four employees of Kundra have turned witnesses against him in the pornography racket case, increasing troubles for him.
Kundra has been named as the key conspirator by the Mumbai Police which has slapped charges against him under Sections 420 (cheating), 34 (common intention), 292 and 293 (related to obscene and indecent advertisements and displays) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) besides relevant sections of the IT Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.
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News reports based on police sources can’t be termed defamatory: Bombay HC on Shilpa Shetty case
By ANI
MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Friday while hearing actor Shilpa Shetty’s defamation case said that news reports based on police sources cannot be termed as malicious and defamatory.The court further told the plaintiff’s lawyer that what the actor was expecting from it will have serious consequences on the freedom of the press.
“Now do you expect the court to sit back and check what sources media houses are citing for every single story?” the court told Shilpa’s lawyer.
The court further said, “You give me individual examples of defendants saying malicious things, I will look into it. But, news reports based on police sources cannot be called malicious and defamatory. What you are expecting me to do will have very serious consequences on freedom of press.”
“If somebody says anything about Shilpa Shetty, it becomes a big thing, why? what’s so great about it. This is not a law that we have come to a conjecture that it’s defamatory,” said the court.
“If you are in public life, it comes with such consequences. People are interested in your life. How can someone writing that she cried and had a fight with her husband be defamatory?” asked the court.
The court adjourned the hearing post-lunch till 2.30 pm and asked her layers to come with exact details on which she wants to argue the defamation case.
Shilpa Shetty had on Thursday filed a defamation suit in Bombay High Court against 29 media personnel and media houses accusing them of “false reporting and maligning her image” following the arrest of her husband Raj Kundra in a case connected with creation and distribution of pornographic content.
The actor’s plea also directed that the defendants be ordered and directed to pay to the plaintiff (Shilpa Shetty) an amount of Rs 20 crore together with interest thereon at 18 per cent per annum from the date of filing of the suit until payment and/or realisation.
Shetty urged the High Court to issue a “permanent and mandatory injunction restraining the defendants, (themselves and through their servants, agents, assigns and/or any person claiming by or through them) from making and/or publishing and/or reproducing and/or circulating and/or speaking and/or communicating, any derogatory and defamatory statements.
She also requested the High Court to issue a mandatory order directing the defendants to forthwith delete and/or remove the defamatory articles and the defamatory videos from their respective websites and social media platforms and to issue an unconditional apology.
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Pornography case: Actress Gehana Vashishth, 2 others fail to appear before police
By PTI
MUMBAI: Actress Gehana Vashishth and two other persons, who were summoned by the Mumbai crime branch in connection with a pornography case, failed to appear for questioning on Sunday, a police official said.The police had recently arrested businessman Raj Kundra, husband of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, in connection with a case, which it said, related to the alleged creation of pornographic films and publishing them through some apps.
After Kundra’s arrest, Vashishth, who worked in three films produced for Kundra’s app, had in a video said erotic content was different from pornography.
Gehana Vashishth and two others were recently summoned by the crime branch’s property cell, but they failed to reach the police office here on Sunday, the official said.
Before the Mumbai crime branch took over the case, there was a complaint with the Maharashtra cyber department about the porn films racket, a senior police official earlier said.
The Malwani police had filed FIRs on the basis of complaints received from two women, while another woman had submitted a complaint at the Lonavla police station, around 120 km from Mumbai, he said.
The Mumbai crime branch had started an investigation into the case after some victims approached the Malwani police station in February 2021, he said.
During the investigation it came to light that some small-time artists were lured by promising to give them a break in some web series or short stories, he had said.
These actors were called for auditions and were asked to give ‘bold’ scenes, which later turned out to be semi-nude or nude scenes, which were against the wishes of the actors, the official had said.
During the investigation, it also came to light that there were many porn-related apps that were operating in the cyber world, he said.
The police then arrested producer Roma Khan, her husband, actress Gehana Vashishth, director Tanveer Hashmi and Umesh Kamath (who used to look after India operations of Kundra’s firm), he had said.
Vashishth was later granted bail.
At least 11 persons have been arrested so far in the case, according to the police.
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Raj Kundra’s employees turn witnesses in pornography racket case
By ANI
MUMBAI: Four employees of businessman and actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra have turned witnesses against him in the pornography racket case, informed Mumbai Police sources on Sunday.They further added that these employees have furnished the entire information about the working of the racket to the property cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch, increasing trouble for Kundra.
He was arrested by the Mumbai Police late on July 19 along with 11 other people on charges related to the alleged creation of pornographic films and will remain in the custody of the Mumbai Crime Branch till July 27.
The property cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch on Sunday summoned Television actor and model Gehana Vasisth and two other people for questioning in connection with a pornography case.
Meanwhile, investigating the porn film case, Mumbai Police Crime Branch has found a hidden cupboard in Kundra’s Viaan and JL Stream office in Mumbai’s Andheri during searches.
As per sources, Kundra will soon face money laundering and Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) cases against him as Enforcement Directorate (ED) is likely to register cases under these Acts against him.
Currently, the case involves the alleged creation of pornographic films and publishing them through some apps.
Kundra has been named as the key conspirator by the Mumbai Police which has slapped charges against him under Sections 420 (cheating), 34 (common intention), 292 and 293 (related to obscene and indecent advertisements and displays) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) besides relevant sections of the IT Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.
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Did not know about content of Hot Shots app, Shilpa Shetty tells cops
By PTI
MUMBAI: Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty told police that she had no idea about the content of the `Hot Shots’ app through which her husband Raj Kundra allegedly distributed pornographic films, sources said on Saturday.Kundra, a city-based businessman, was arrested by the Mumbai police on July 19 for alleged production of pornographic films and their dissemination through apps.
In her statement given to the police on Friday, Shetty said she did not know about the content of the app, nor did she interfere in her husband’s business, police sources said.
She was not linked to the app business in any way, the actor said, as per the sources.
She also told police that she had resigned from the post of director of Kundra’s firm Viaan Industries.
The police seized a laptop from Kundra’s house during search on Friday and also recovered some bank statements, sources said.
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Raj Kundra’s brother-in law involved in Hotshot app: Shilpa Shetty tells Mumbai Police
By ANI
MUMBAI: Actor Shilpa Shetty on Friday, July 23, 2021, told Mumbai Police that London-based Pradeep Bakshi, the brother-in-law of her husband Raj Kundra was involved with the Hotshot app and its functioning, said sources.According to sources, Shilpa Shetty told Mumbai Police that she was not aware of the exact content of the Hotshot app claiming she has nothing to do with the application. This is in connection with a case related to the production of pornographic films, in which her husband is the prime accused.
The actor claimed that her husband Raj Kundra is innocent and was not involved in producing porn content. She stated that it is London-based Pradeep Bakshi who was involved with the Hotshot app and its functioning.
ALSO READ: Model files complaint against Raj Kundra after getting threats, vulgar calls
Mumbai Police sources said Shilpa Shetty also mentioned that the content of erotica is different from pornography. She also spoke about the other OTT platforms being full of similar erotica content, which is not considered porn.
Mumbai Police on Friday conducted a raid at Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra’s residence. Police seized a hard disk and a computer from their residence.
According to sources, Mumbai police is checking if Shilpa Shetty played an active role in the entire porn racket, in which her husband is the key accused.
Mumbai Police questioned the actor on her knowledge of the Hotshot app, on which the porn content used to be uploaded.
She was asked if she was aware of porn content upload related operations being conducted in the premises of the Viaan company.
Mumbai police is also checking whether any money earned from the porn racket was routed to/from Shilpa Shetty’s accounts or not.
A Mumbai court on Friday sent actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband and businessman Raj Kundra and his associate Ryan Thorpe to police custody till July 27 in connection with a case related to the production of pornographic films.
Mumbai Police told the Court that they suspect money earned from pornography was used for online betting. Raj Kundra was arrested by Mumbai Police for allegedly creating pornographic films and publishing them through some mobile applications on Monday night.
The Mumbai Police on Tuesday informed that the Property Cell of its Crime Branch had so far arrested a total of 11 people, including Kundra for their alleged involvement in the crime.
“He appears to be the key conspirator. We have sufficient evidence regarding this,” Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale had said.
The case was registered with Crime Branch Mumbai in February 2021 about the creation of pornographic films and the use of apps.