Shreyas Talpade caught in real Golmaal

 

 

Bollywood actor Shreyas Talpade, best known for his role in the Golmaal series, has been named in a multi-crore chit fund scam that has allegedly defrauded hundreds of villagers across Uttar Pradesh (UP), Haryana, and Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). Police have booked Talpade along with 14 others for their alleged role in endorsing and promoting a fraudulent investment scheme that promised high returns but ultimately led to massive financial losses.

According to police reports, the accused were linked to The Loni Urban Multistate Credit and Thrift Cooperative Society Limited, a company that had been operating for over a decade in regions like Mahoba (UP), Sonipat (Haryana), and Srinagar (J&K). The company’s agents allegedly lured investors by offering attractive fixed deposits (FDs), recurring deposits (RDs), and Sukanya savings schemes, promising to double their money within a short period.

Celebrities Used as Brand Ambassadors to Lure Investors

Authorities claim that actors Shreyas Talpade and Alok Nath were the brand ambassadors of the fraudulent scheme, using their Bollywood fame to gain the trust of rural investors. Their endorsements reportedly played a crucial role in convincing thousands of people to invest crores of rupees in the Ponzi scheme.

Complaints began surfacing in 2023 when investors stopped receiving promised returns. The company initially attributed the delays to “system upgradation”, but soon after, it shut down operations. The key operators of the scheme, including co-founder Sameer Aggarwal and his wife, allegedly went into hiding, leaving investors without any means of recovering their hard-earned money.

One FIR filed at Lucknow’s Gomti Nagar Police Station alleges that the company collected over Rs 9 crore from investors before disappearing. Similar cases have been registered in Sonipat and Srinagar, prompting an extensive investigation into the full extent of the financial fraud.

Police Investigation Underway

Additional Commissioner of Police Ajeet Singh stated, “It has been alleged that Bollywood celebrities like Shreyas Talpade were used as brand faces to gain people’s trust. Their exact involvement in the scam is now under detailed investigation.”

So far, over 30 victims have officially come forward, revealing how they were deceived over the years. Law enforcement agencies are now working to identify the total number of victims and the exact amount lost, which is estimated to be in the tens of crores. Police are intensifying efforts to locate the masterminds behind the scam and ensure justice for the victims. 

Authorities are urging citizens to exercise caution when investing in get-rich-quick schemes promoted by celebrities or unknown financial institutions. The multi-state financial scam has raised serious concerns about fraudulent investment schemes, celebrity endorsements, and the lack of regulatory oversight.