Supreme Court Grants Alok Nath Protection in Fraud Case

In a significant relief for veteran Bollywood actor Alok Nath, the Supreme Court on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, barred Haryana Police from taking any coercive action against him in a high-profile fraud case linked to a dubious multi-level marketing scheme. The decision came during a hearing on Nath's petition, where a bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan issued notices to the Haryana Police and other respondents, while granting him interim protection from arrest until the next hearing.

The bench emphasized, "In the meanwhile, no coercive steps to be taken against the petitioner by the respondents till the next date of hearing." This protective order follows a similar relief extended earlier to actor Shreyas Talpade, who is also implicated in the case. The development has drawn attention to the involvement of celebrities in the alleged scam, raising questions about the role of brand ambassadors in promoting questionable financial ventures.

The case originated from a complaint filed by Sonipat resident Vipul Antil, a 37-year-old investor, who accused the Human Welfare Credit Cooperative Society Ltd of defrauding the public through deceptive savings schemes. Antil named Nath and Talpade as brand ambassadors who allegedly helped lure investors by endorsing the society's operations. An FIR was registered on January 22, 2025, under Sections 316(2), 318(2), and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, covering offenses like criminal breach of trust and cheating.

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According to the complaint, the society, registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, began operations across multiple states, including Haryana, on September 16, 2016. It offered attractive fixed and recurring deposit schemes, backed by aggressive publicity and a multi-level marketing model that rapidly expanded its investor base. Initially, the society honored its promises of high returns and timely maturity payments, building trust among depositors.

However, by 2023, payments began to falter, with officials citing "system upgrades" as the reason for delays. Antil alleged that despite repeated assurances to anxious investors and agents, the society's owners eventually cut off all communication, leaving thousands without access to their hard-earned money. The scam's scale has prompted a thorough investigation by the Murthal ACP, Ajeet Singh, who noted that while the actors were named in the FIR, their exact involvement is under scrutiny.

ACP Singh clarified that the probe targets the multi-marketing company at its core, with the celebrities' endorsements playing a pivotal role in attracting victims. "They were named in the complaint. An FIR has been registered. Now, it will be investigated what was their role," he stated. The case underscores the risks of celebrity-backed financial schemes and the regulatory gaps in multi-state cooperatives.

As the Supreme Court delves deeper, the outcome could set precedents for holding public figures accountable in promotional frauds. For now, Nath remains shielded, allowing him to cooperate with the investigation without the fear of immediate arrest.

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