THE TIMES OF INDIA (November 15, 2021)

Mumbai: A Pune businessman has filed a police complaint against the owner of SFL Fitness Pvt Ltd and four others, including Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and her husband, Raj Kundra, for duping him of Rs. 1.59 crore after luring him with the offer of opening a franchise of the fitness centre in Pune.

Nitin Barai (59) filed the complaint on Saturday, almost seven years after the deal was signed, after realising that the party with whom he had signed the agreement had duped him and failed to return the money he had invested to get the franchise. Barai’s son, Yash (25), alleged they were threatened when they demanded their money back.

The police said the contract agreement was signed in 2014. The police registered the FIR against director of SFL Fitness Kashiff Khan, Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra, Darshit Shah and a few others who were witnesses in the contract signed in 2014. A case under the IIPC sections 420 (cheating), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) was registered.
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BOMBAY TIMES (November 15, 2021)

An FIR has been filed against Shilpa Shetty, Raj Kundra and some other persons on a complaint by Mumbai-based businessman Nitin Barai, who has accused them of duping him of Rs. 1.51 crore. The FIR was registered at Bandra police station and the complainant alleged that in July 2014, Kaashif Khan, the director of SFL Fitness company, along with Shilpa, Raj and others asked him to invest Rs. 1.51 crore to earn a profit. He claimed he was assured that the SFL Fitness company will provide him a franchise and open a gym and spa at Hadapsar and Koregaon in Pune, but it did not materialise. Later, when the complainant sought his money back, he was allegedly threatened, said a police official. Based on the complaint, the Bandra police registered the FIR.

Meanwhile, Shilpa responded to the complaint with a statement on her social media handle. She wrote, “Woke up to an FIR registered in Raj and my name! Shocked!! To set the record straight, SFL Fitness, a venture run by Kashiff Khan. He had taken naming rights of brand SFL to open SFL Fitness gyms around the country. All deals were struck by him and he was signatory in banking and day-to-day affairs. We are not aware of any of his transactions nor have we received a single rupee from him for the same. All the franchisee’s dealth directly with Kashiff. The company closed in 2014 and was entirely handled by Kashiff Khan.”

She added, “I have worked very hard over the last 28 years and it pains me to see that my name and reputation is getting damaged and dragged so loosely to get eyeballs. My rights as a law abiding proud citizen in India should be protected. With gratitude, Shilpa Shetty Kundra (sic).”

Kundra was spotted for the first time in public last week with Shilpa after securing bail in September. The couple was seen performing a puja at a temple in Himachal Pradesh.