Shilpa Shetty's restaurant shutting down amid fraud allegations against her
What's the story
Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra has announced the closure of her Mumbai restaurant, Bastian Bandra. The last day of operations will be Thursday, September 4. The restaurant is co-owned by Ranjit Bindra and was first opened in 2016. The announcement comes amid allegations of cheating against Shetty and her husband, Raj Kundra.
Closure announcement
Shetty penned an emotional note on social media
Shetty-Kundra are accused of defrauding crores in a loan-cum-investment scheme. Despite not explicitly mentioning the reason for the restaurant's closure, Shetty posted an emotional note on her Instagram Stories, writing, "This Thursday marks the end of an era as we bid farewell to one of Mumbai's most iconic destinations, BASTIAN BANDRA."
Special evening
Special evening for closest patrons will be curatedÂ
Shetty further wrote, "To honor this legendary space, we're curating a very special evening for our closest patrons, a night filled with nostalgia, energy, and magic celebrating everything Bastian has stood for one last time." "While we say goodbye to BASTIAN BANDRA, our Thursday night ritual Arcane Affair will continue next week at BASTIAN AT THE TOP carrying forward the legacy in a brand new chapter with brand new experiences."
Legal battle
Businessman accuses the couple of defrauding him
Mumbai businessman Deepak Kothari lodged a fraud complaint against the couple regarding their now-defunct company, Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd. He alleged that they defrauded him of over ₹60cr in a loan and investment scheme between 2015 and 2023. Apparently, the money he provided for business growth was misused for personal expenses.
Legal defense
The couple's advocate called the allegations 'baseless'
After the couple was booked in the cheating case, their lawyer Prashant Patil issued a statement to IANS, dismissing the allegations as "baseless." "My clients have been informed by certain segments of electronic and print media that an alleged case has been registered against them at the Economic Offences Wing, Mumbai." He added, "At the outset, my clients deny all the allegations which are purely civil in nature and have already been adjudicated by NCLT Mumbai on 04/10/2023."