Rakul Preet Singh searches: What we know and what remains unclear as Vashu Bhagnani is hospitalised

Rakul Preet Singh is married to actor-producer Jackky Bhagnani, the son of Vashu Bhagnani

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Devadasan K P, Chief Visual Editor
Rakul Preet Singh and her father-in-law, filmmaker Vashu Bhagnani.
Rakul Preet Singh and her father-in-law, filmmaker Vashu Bhagnani.
Instagram/ANI

Dubai: The Income Tax Department’s reported searches at locations linked to actor Rakul Preet Singh, producer Vashu Bhagnani and Panorama Studios have raised questions over alleged financial irregularities in film-related transactions. However, several details about the ongoing inquiry remain unclear.

The searches were reportedly carried out on September 28 at 12 locations in Mumbai by teams from the Income Tax Department. Investigators are said to be examining documents, financial records and details of alleged overseas transactions linked to film financing.

Reports have suggested that authorities are looking into whether funds were routed outside India under the guise of financing film projects.

The Income Tax Department has not publicly disclosed detailed findings from the searches or confirmed that any tax violation has been established.

What is Rakul Preet Singh’s connection?

Rakul Preet Singh is married to actor-producer Jackky Bhagnani, the son of Vashu Bhagnani. The Bhagnani family is associated with Pooja Entertainment.

Reports have identified premises connected to Rakul and Vashu Bhagnani among those searched. However, the precise nature of Rakul’s involvement in the transactions under examination has not been publicly detailed by the Income Tax Department.

There has also been no public statement from Rakul regarding the reported searches.

Vashu Bhagnani hospitalised in London

The latest development is the reported hospitalisation of veteran producer Vashu Bhagnani in London.

According to reports citing news agency ANI, Bhagnani has been admitted to a London hospital. The reason for his hospitalisation has not been disclosed, and details about his condition or how long he is expected to remain in hospital are not known.

When contacted by ANI, Bhagnani reportedly asked to be left alone.

His hospitalisation was reported shortly after the Income Tax searches. However, there is no official information establishing a connection between the searches and his hospitalisation.

What happens next?

The Income Tax inquiry is understood to be ongoing. Investigators are expected to examine the documents and financial records collected during the searches before determining whether any tax or financial violations took place.

At this stage, the reported searches do not, by themselves, establish wrongdoing by Rakul Preet Singh, Vashu Bhagnani, or any other individual or company named in the reports.

Further details are expected once authorities disclose more information about the investigation and its findings.

With inputs from Agencies

Devadasan K P
Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor
Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 27 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct. Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action. Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya. His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011. He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.

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