Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra Charged With Cheating In ₹60 Crore Investment Fraud

Actor Shilpa Shetty and her husband, businessman Raj Kundra, have been charged with cheating in connection with an alleged Rs 60 crore fraud case, as the Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) expanded its investigation on December 17, 2025. The additional charge stems from a complaint by businessman Deepak Kothari, who accused the couple of misappropriating funds invested in their now-defunct home-shopping company, Best Deal TV Private Limited.

An FIR was initially registered against Shetty and Kundra—both former directors of Best Deal TV—on August 14, 2025, for allegedly duping Kothari between 2015 and 2023. Kothari claimed he was induced to provide Rs 60 crore as a loan-cum-investment, but the money was diverted for the couple's personal use rather than business purposes.

During the probe, the EOW found sufficient evidence to add the charge of cheating under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. Kundra has reportedly attributed the company's failure to massive losses following the 2016 demonetisation policy, stating that a portion of the funds was paid as fees to celebrity endorsers, including actors Bipasha Basu and Neha Dhupia.

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The complainant's legal team announced plans to approach the Enforcement Directorate for action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), seeking identification, tracing, and attachment of the allegedly fraudulent proceeds and related assets.

Best Deal TV, launched as a celebrity-driven teleshopping and online retail platform, ceased operations years ago amid financial difficulties. The couple has yet to issue a public response to the latest developments. As the EOW continues its investigation, the case marks another legal challenge for Kundra, who has faced previous scrutiny in unrelated matters, while potentially broadening the scope of financial and regulatory probes into the defunct venture.

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