Actor Shilpa Shetty and her businessman husband Raj Kundra have been arrested in India in connection with a high-profile Rs 600 million cheating case. The Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) took action after businessman Deepak Kothari accused the couple of defrauding him in a loan-cum-investment deal.
Kothari’s legal team stated that the EOW found evidence during its probe justifying the cheating charge. Authorities have also indicated that the investigation may expand as additional financial transactions are examined.
The complainant’s lawyers plan to involve the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to trace, identify, and seize misappropriated funds, and seek attachment of assets under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The case dates back to August 14, 2025, when the FIR was filed against Kundra and Shetty in Mumbai. The couple were directors of Best Deal TV Private Limited, a now-defunct home shopping and online retail platform. Kothari claims that between 2015 and 2023, he invested Rs 600 million in the company, but the funds were allegedly diverted for the couple’s personal use.
During the investigation, Kundra admitted that a portion of the Rs 600 million was paid as fees to actors Bipasha Basu and Neha Dhupia. He also noted that the company primarily traded in electrical and household appliances and suffered heavy losses after the 2016 demonetisation, which contributed to its inability to repay borrowed funds.
The arrest of the couple has generated widespread media attention, given their celebrity status, while authorities continue probing the financial dealings and alleged misappropriation of funds.
