The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out searches on Friday, November 29 at the Mumbai residence and office of businessman Raj Kundra, husband of actress Shilpa Shetty, in connection with a money laundering investigation tied to a pornography network. According to officials, the agency is also conducting raids at locations linked to Kundra’s associates.
Kundra had been arrested in June 2021 on allegations of producing “pornographic” content. He was later taken into custody but has been out on bail since September 2021.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had initiated an anti-money-laundering investigation into a case in 2022 involving alleged pornographic films, in which businessman Raj Kundra and others were arrested by the Mumbai Police crime branch in 2021.
The ED as registered a case under the criminal provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after reviewing two police FIRs and related charge sheets submitted to the court. Raj Kundra, the husband of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, along with his associate Ryan Thorpe, was arrested and later released on bail. Several others were also apprehended in connection with the case.
The ED’s probe will concentrate on tracking the flow of funds and any alleged proceeds of crime linked to the accused, as well as their role in the creation and distribution of explicit content, according to officials.
Kundra was initially detained by the Mumbai Police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Information Technology Act, and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.
In court, Kundra denied involvement in any illegal activity, stating that there was no evidence connecting the ‘Hotshots’ app, allegedly used for uploading and streaming explicit videos, to unlawful actions. He argued he was not actively involved in producing objectionable content and maintained he was falsely implicated, claiming he was not named in the original FIR but was later dragged into the case.
Kundra further alleged that he was being used as a scapegoat for reasons known only to the investigators.
The case stemmed from complaints by two women, leading to FIRs filed by the police. The investigation revealed that aspiring actors were reportedly lured under the pretext of roles in web series or short films. They were later coerced into performing semi-nude or nude scenes against their wishes.
Police found that Kundra allegedly established Armsprime Media Pvt Ltd, which collaborated with London-based Kenrin Pvt Ltd to acquire the ‘Hotshots’ app. This platform was reportedly used to upload and distribute explicit content online.
During the inquiry, WhatsApp chats on Kundra’s phone revealed discussions about Kenrin’s operations and financial transactions. These conversations reportedly included plans to sell 119 adult films for $1.2 million, according to the police.
The investigation also uncovered several other apps allegedly used to distribute similar content, further complicating the case.
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