Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty has broken her silence on social media amid escalating allegations of a Rs. 60.48 crore fraud case linked to her now-defunct venture, Best Deal TV. Her statement arrives as legal proceedings gain momentum and her foreign travel permissions become a focal point in the news.
Addressing the controversy via her Instagram story, Shilpa Shetty stated,
“We categorically deny the baseless and motivated allegations being circulated. The issues sought to be raised are being given a criminal colour without any lawful basis. A Quashing Petition has already been filed before the Hon’ble High Court and is pending adjudication. Having fully cooperated with the investigation, we are sanguine that justice will prevail and have complete faith in the law enforcement authorities and the judicial system of our country. We respectfully urge the media to exercise restraint as the matter is sub judice.”
The Bombay High Court has directed Shetty and her husband, businessman Raj Kundra, to deposit Rs. 60 crore or provide a continuous bank guarantee from a nationalised bank before considering lifting the Lookout Circular (LOC) that currently restricts their overseas travel. This order followed their urgent plea to visit London for Kundra’s ailing father. The LOC was issued by Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing after a complaint from Deepak Kothari, director of UY Industries Pvt Ltd, alleging misappropriation of funds invested in Best Deal TV between 2015 and 2023.
The couple denies all wrongdoing, calling the accusations malicious and extortionate.In other developments, Shilpa Shetty’s upscale restaurant chain, Bastian, is also facing challenges. A Bengaluru police station filed a complaint under Section 103 of the Karnataka Police Act against the outlet for hosting a lavish private party, allegedly violating local rules by staying open past permitted hours. Additionally, reports suggest that Bastian’s Mumbai outlet in Dadar underwent an income tax raid on Wednesday, though details of the operation remain undisclosed.
