Manish Trehan, the producer of the acclaimed Netflix series Jamtara, has been booked by the Mumbai Police for allegedly defrauding businessman Nihar L of ₹2.5 crores. The accusations suggest that Trehan misled Nihar under the guise of financing a film project and expanding his business.
What’s the Allegations
As reported by the Indian Express, Nihar, a 40-year-old entrepreneur running a finance service firm, met Trehan in October 2022 through a mutual acquaintance. Trehan, identifying himself as the director of Click On RM Pvt Ltd, assured Nihar that he would repay the investment within a year, including interest. Trusting Trehan’s promises, Nihar transferred ₹2 crores for business expansion via an online transaction.When the one-year term ended in October 2023, Trehan visited Nihar’s office with a man named Satvant Singh, whom he claimed was a senior official from a well-known OTT platform.
Upon inquiring about repayment, Trehan stated that the invested money had gone into a nearly complete film, requiring only editing. He then requested an additional ₹50 lakh to cover final expenses, assuring Nihar that the film would soon be sold to the OTT platform, enabling the repayment of the full amount.Trusting Trehan once more, Nihar transferred an additional ₹50 lakh on October 5, 2023. Trehan provided a written loan agreement acknowledging the ₹2.5 crore loan and issued four post-dated cheques for cashing by March 31, 2024.
Fraudulent Activity Uncovered
However, when Nihar attempted to deposit the cheques, they were declined due to a stop payment order issued by Trehan. After numerous failed attempts to contact Trehan, who allegedly blocked his calls, Nihar approached senior police officials to file a complaint.The Santacruz police have subsequently booked Trehan and Singh under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), and 34 (common intention). Nihar has also implicated Trehan’s wife, although her name does not appear in the FIR.
Response from Trehan’s Legal Team
In response to the allegations, Trehan’s lawyer, Shivam Deshmukh, stated that Trehan had already repaid part of the loan. He claimed that Nihar and his father had pressured Trehan into making an immediate cash payment of ₹1.6 crores. Deshmukh emphasized Trehan’s cooperation with authorities and suggested that the FIR was filed to satisfy Nihar’s unlawful demands.
