Entertainment Bollywood

Raj Kundra pornography case: Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and husband fined by SEBI, more updates

Earlier, businessman Raj Kundra’s bail was denied in the case that has rocked Bollywood

Published: July 29, 2021 16:18 Agencies and Compiled by Jennifer Barretto, Assistant Editor Features

1 of 8

On Wednesday, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) imposed a penalty of Rs300,000 (Dh14,835) on the ‘Hungama 2’ actress Shilpa Shetty, her husband Raj Kundra alias Ripu Sudan Kundra and their company Viaan Industries for violating its insider trading rules. As per the SEBI order, Kundra, Shetty and their company were fined for a three-year delay in the disclosure of an allotment of preferential shares. In 2015, Viaan Industries had made a preferential allotment of 500,000 equity shares. Of this 128,800 equity shares each were allotted to Kundra (referred to as Ripu Sudan Kundra) and Shetty, the promoters of the company. Image Credit: AFP

2 of 8

Earlier, a Mumbai court denied bail to Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra, who has been accused of producing pornographic films, police said. The arrest is the latest scandal to hit Kundra who was embroiled in cricket match-fixing charges six years ago. Mumbai police said the 45-year-old was “the key conspirator” in the creation and publication of adult films using internet apps. Police spokesman S. Chaitanya told AFP the businessman would remain in judicial custody following the latest hearing, adding: “His bail was denied”. Media reports say Kundra is accused of telling aspiring actresses they could break into Bollywood through his company, Viaan Industries, which allegedly produced pornographic content for Hotshots, an adults-only mobile app. Image Credit: AFP

3 of 8

Kundra — who was arrested on July 19 by the Mumbai Police — will remain in judicial custody until August 10. Kundra, through Senior Advocate Abad Ponda, has filed a separate petition in the Bombay High Court challenging his arrest, which he contended was “illegal”, and pressed for quashing all orders of the Metropolitan Magistrate Court remanding him to police and then judicial custody. Image Credit: AFP

4 of 8

Meanwhile, the pornography case registered against actress Gehana Vasisth (pictured) and three producers Kundra’s company has been handed over to the Property Cell of Mumbai Police Crime Branch, informed said on Thursday. The case was registered at Malvani Police Station. Gehana Vashisht alias Vandana Tiwari, who is currently released on bail, was earlier arrested in February 2021 in the pornography case. She got bail after four months. Image Credit: Insta/gehana_vasisth

5 of 8

While investigating the porn film case, Mumbai Police Crime Branch has found a hidden cupboard in actor Kundra’s Viaan and JL Stream office in Mumbai’s Andheri during searches. According to officials, forensic auditors have been appointed to probe the transactions in all the accounts of the people involved in the case. Image Credit: Insatgram.com/rajkundra9

6 of 8

Actress Sherlyn Chopra was called to provide a statement as a witness in the case and was reported as saying that Kundra had sexually abused her. Time of India reported that in her complaint, Chopra recounted the incident that allegedly took place in early 2019 when Kundra showed up at her house. She alleged that Kundra forcibly kissed her. Earlier, Chopra said that she was the first person to give statement to the investigating team of the Maharashtra Cyber Cell in the Kundra pornography racket. Image Credit:

7 of 8

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. According to senior ED officials familiar with the development, the financial probe agency has sought the copy of the FIR from the Mumbai Crime Branch. The official said that before filing a case, the ED will also check financial transactions in other countries into the bank accounts of Kundra. Image Credit: Instagram.com/rajkundra9

8 of 8

Co-producer of the film ‘Hungama 3’ Ratan Jain has defended Shilpa Shetty, who stars in the comedy flick. “As much as I know Shilpa, she will not do something like that at all,” Jain told Times of India. “I can’t really say, how much did she really know about her husband’s business, but I don’t think she was involved in it. Any family person should not do this kind of work... But, having said that, one has to leave it to agencies that are investigating the case.” Image Credit: Insta/theshilpashetty

More From Entertainment

GULFNEWS SECTIONS