Alok Nath gets interim relief in fraud case from SC
What's the story
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court granted actor Alok Nath interim protection from arrest in a fraud case related to a questionable marketing scheme in Haryana. A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan issued notices to the Haryana Police and other concerned parties on Nath's plea. The court stated, "In the meanwhile, no coercive steps to be taken against the petitioner by the respondents till the next date of hearing."
Case details
Nath, Talpade booked in January
Thirteen people, including actors and brand ambassadors Nath and Shreyas Talpade, were named in a complaint filed by 37-year-old Sonipat resident Vipul Antil. Antil alleged that both actors "promoted the Human Welfare Credit Cooperative Society Ltd, as brand ambassadors." The FIR was registered on January 22 under Sections 316, 318, and 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, for various offenses such as criminal breach of trust and cheating.
Allegations
Society started functioning in several states in 2016
Antil claimed that the society committed a "serious crime of cheating the public through financial schemes." The complaint stated that the society was established under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act and began operations in multiple states, including Haryana, on September 16, 2016. It reportedly promised better returns and assured investors their money would be safe with the timely payment of maturity amounts.
Payment issues
Society disrupted payment of maturity amounts to investors
The complaint further alleged that in 2023, the society started disrupting the payment of maturity amounts to investors. "The officials of the society kept trying to justify the delay by making the excuse of system upgradation," Antil claimed. He added that investors and agents who approached the society officials were provided with false assurances. Eventually, "the owners of the society ended all contact and the investors did not get their hard-earned money back."