'I was too busy to know what he's doing': Shilpa Shetty tells cops on Raj Kundra case

New Delhi: The Mumbai Police on Wednesday filed a 1500-page charge sheet against businessman and Shilpa Shetty's husband Raj Kundra in a pornography film case. In her statement to the Property Cell of Mumbai Crime Branch, actress Shilpa Shetty shared details of Kundra's business and how she was too busy with her own work to enquire about what her husband was up to. 

She said, "I have been staying at Kinara bungalow for last 10 years. In 2007, when I went to the UK for the reality show Bigg Brother, I met Raj Kundra through director Farat Hussain at his latter's house, who was also friends with him."

"After this, on November 22, 2009, I and Raj Kundra got married. Even before the wedding, I told Raj Kundra that I want to stay in India after marriage. That's why we settled in India after marriage."

"In the year 2009, Raj Kundra invested Rs 75 crore in the IPL team named Rajasthan Royals. There are 4 international partners, with around 13 per cent holding of Raj Kundra. After betting accusations in the IPL were levelled against Kundra, he was sacked from Rajasthan Royals team holding."

"In 2012, Raj Kundra started a company named Satyug Gold Private Limited, followed by a company named Best TV Private Celebrity Home Shopping. In 2015, Kundra started a company named Viaan Industries Limited, through this company animation, cartoons and applications work was carried out. I have 24.50 per cent share in this company, there are 7 thousand shareholders in this company."

"Raj Kundra is the director in Viaan Industries Limited and Umesh Kamat works as an executive assistant. I was in this company from April 2015 to July 2020 as a director and then resigned from the post due to personal reasons."

"Started a company named JL Stream in December 2020 to expand the existing business. JL Streaming is used for running social streaming applications, making short videos, chatting applications and streaming. In this company, Raj Kundra served as the CEO, Ryan Thorpe as Chief Production Officer and about 40 people worked there. Kundra manages all the dealings of this company."

"In 2019, Saurabh Kushwaha became a partner in Arms Prime. Poonam Pandey and other actors voluntarily did a skin-show act in Arms Prime. On being asked about it, Kundra told me that this OTT platform is doing well and is making good profits. After this, Kundra said that over some dispute with Saurabh Kushwaha, he has left the company."

" I started a company named Shilpa Yoga Private Limited in 2018. The company's director Anishi Sharma knows about the dealings made here. After this, in 2018, a company named SSK was started in partnership with Manish Kumar. In this company, I hold 70 per cent partnership and 30 per cent was Manish's, but after some time latter's share was increased from 7 to 10 per cent."

"I have a joint account with Raj Kundra in Punjab National Bank. He has taken home loan from this account, I have sometimes transferred money from my other bank account to this account to pay for this loan."

"I know Megha Jaiswal for the last 4 years, she is an accountant in Viaan. I started a company named Dream Collection Pvt Ltd in November 2020 with Megha and I invested in this company. Megha is the director, Sandeep Arora and Charu Arora also serve as the directors."

"Umesh Kamat works in the Viaan industry and he was arrested in February 2021. When I inquired about him, Raj told me that Umesh Kamat and Gehana Vashisth had independently made obscene videos and sold them separately."

"I knew nothing about this OTT - Bollyfame. Today I came to know that porn videos made for Hotshot from Viaan company were sent to Pradeep Bakshi's Kenrin company. I have never asked what work Raj Kundra is doing because I am busy with my work and he never tells me things related to his work, because of this I do not know anything in this matter."

For the unversed, Raj Kundra and Ryane Thorpe were arrested by the Mumbai crime branch on July 19, 2021 and are currently in jail under judicial custody. Their bail pleas are pending before a Mumbai sessions court.