The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided several locations linked to Raj Kundra, the husband of actress Shilpa Shetty, as part of a money laundering investigation. The probe is related to the production and distribution of pornographic content via mobile apps. The ED is conducting searches at about 15 locations in Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials questioned Raj Kundra in connection with a money laundering investigation. Earlier this year, the ED attached his assets, including a flat in Juhu, Mumbai, a bungalow in Pune, and equity shares worth Rs 98 crore, as part of an investigation into the Gain Bitcoin Ponzi scam.
The probe began in 2018 when the ED started investigating Amit Bharadwaj for his involvement in the Ponzi scheme. Although Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra were not initially named as suspects, they were informed in April 2024 that their assets were being provisionally attached as part of the case.
Both Raj and Shilpa Shetty have claimed that they are innocent and that they have fully cooperated with the ED's investigation. Raj has personally attended several summonses, while Shilpa has submitted the required documents through her authorized representatives.
The couple later challenged the ED's notice to vacate their properties, including their Mumbai residence in Juhu and a farmhouse near Pune. The Bombay High Court granted interim relief by halting the eviction order.
Before the recent investigation, Raj Kundra was arrested in July 2021 by the Mumbai Police after four women filed complaints, alleging that they were forced to shoot pornographic content under the pretence of being offered acting roles in a web series. He was subsequently released from Arthur Road Jail in September 2021 on bail.
In response to reports claiming actress Shilpa Shetty's involvement in the money laundering case, her lawyer, Advocate Prashant Patil, issued a statement denying the claims. He stated that the reports alleging an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid on Shilpa Shetty are "not true and are misleading."
He further clarified, “There is no Enforcement Directorate raid on Shilpa Shetty Kundra as she has nothing to do with any offence of whatsoever nature.” He also mentioned, “The case in question is an ongoing investigation regarding her husband Raj Kundra, and he is cooperating with the investigation to ensure the truth comes out."