New Delhi: According to Acharya, Pandit and Sandeep have allegedly defrauded him of Rs 14 crore in this biopic’s investment As per a complaint filed by Acharya Manish, Pandit and Sandeep approached him in early 2019 to invest in the Modi biopic, claiming he would get first recovery rights to recoup his investment after the movie’s release. Convinced by their assurances, he took massive loans to invest Rs 14 crore in the film.
However, after the movie released and earned over Rs 32 crore as per Acharya Manish’s information, Pandit allegedly refused to pay him his due. Over multiple meetings, the accused showed an inability to pay him and allegedly threatened him against taking legal action. In a detailed complaint complaint no. 4518/P/SSP, dated 17.08.2023 to the Mohali police, Acharya has described how he was allegedly induced by Pandit into investing the massive sum into the film on false assurances.
He has accused Pandit and Sandeep of breach of trust, cheating, fraud, and siphoning off funds while causing financial loss to him. He has also accused the producer of tax evasion by concealing actual revenues and inflating expenses to show losses in the film’s financials. He has demanded an ED, Income Tax, and GST probe into their finances.
Acharya Manish has urged the police to register an FIR against Pandit and carry out a criminal investigation into the matter. He has also sent copies of the complaint to the President, Prime Minister, Home Minister, I&B Minister, and various enforcement agency heads across the country. As per the complaint, Pandit has been intimidating him against taking legal recourse and warning him of implications. However, Acharya has filed the complaint so that other innocent investors duped by the accused can get justice.
The complaint’s shocking allegations of deception, fraud, and threats by influential Bollywood entities also merit wider debate and scrutiny around practices in the film industry. With an FIR and police investigation awaited, the case will be watched closely by all concerned stakeholders.