Bollywood scam: FIR filed against 22, including Shreyas Talpade, Alok Nath, over fake finance firm; hundreds duped
An FIR has been registered against 22 people, including Bollywood actors Shreyas Talpade and Alok Nath, in connection with a fake finance company that allegedly duped hundreds of investors by promising to double their money within a year, officials said on Saturday.
Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Praveen Singh Chauhan said the company, Urban State Credit Cooperative Society Limited, based in Loni, operated investment schemes through agents in several districts of western Uttar Pradesh, including Baghpat, Meerut, and Ghaziabad, news agency PTI reported.
According to Chauhan, the company used well-known film personalities to promote its schemes. “Shreyas Talpade was projected as the promoter, while Alok Nath was introduced as the brand ambassador to help the company gain people’s trust,” he said.
Over 500 investors reportedly deposited lakhs of rupees in the scheme. However, after a year, when investors sought to withdraw their funds, the company’s office was found locked and its officials were missing, police said.
A complainant from Baghpat, Babli, alleged that the company even forged signatures on documents to misappropriate deposits.
Following multiple complaints, police registered a case under sections related to cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.
Chauhan said the investigation is underway to identify all the accused, examine their bank accounts, and verify the extent of involvement of the celebrities whose names and images were used for the company’s promotion.