Gunjan Chaudhary
Mumbai Police have registered a case against three individuals for allegedly defrauding a company of ₹1.41 crore by impersonating well-known Bollywood celebrities and a prominent Indian cricketer. The accused reportedly used the names of actress Athiya Shetty, cricketer KL Rahul, and actor Arshad Warsi to carry out the fraud. The case has been registered by Amboli Police Station under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and an investigation is currently underway.
Athiya Shetty
Athiya Shetty, KL Rahul, and Arshad Warsi Used For Fraud
According to Mumbai Police, the accused were employees of a reputed company and misused their positions of trust to siphon off money. The three accused have been identified as Rishabh Sureka, Yash Nagarkoti, and Aashay Shastri. Police stated that Rishabh Sureka was a senior manager who had been working with the company for a long time. He was responsible for handling branding and celebrity-related projects, which gave him significant credibility and access within the organization.
Athiya Shetty and KL Rahul
Taking advantage of this trust, Rishabh allegedly orchestrated the fraud by creating fake invoices, forged signatures, and fabricated email IDs in the names of Athiya Shetty, KL Rahul, and Arshad Warsi. Investigations revealed that Rishabh sent fake emails and project proposals to the company, falsely claiming they were linked to celebrity endorsements or collaborations involving KL Rahul and Arshad Warsi. Based on these fraudulent documents, large sums of money were approved and transferred.
Arshad Warsi
The accused also allegedly forged Athiya Shetty’s signature to withdraw lakhs of rupees from the company. The scam continued for some time until discrepancies were noticed. With assistance from the concerned production house, the company eventually uncovered the fraud, leading to a detailed internal inquiry and a formal police complaint.
Athiya Shetty
During the investigation, the names of Yash Nagarkoti and Aashay Shastri also emerged. Police claim that both individuals assisted Rishabh Sureka in withdrawing funds and had equal stakes in the fraudulent activities. All three are believed to have acted in collusion. So far, Mumbai Police have registered the case and are examining documents, financial records, and digital evidence linked to the scam. While the complaint has been officially lodged, no arrests have been made yet. Authorities have stated that further action will be taken based on the findings of the ongoing investigation.