Mumbai: Enforcement Directorate on Sunday summoned Raj Kundra, a businessman and husband of actress Shilpa Shetty, for questioning in a money laundering case related to the production and distribution of pornographic videos via the app Hotshots. Kundra is expected to appear before the investigating officer later this week, sources said.
This move follows the ED’s raids on Kundra’s properties in Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh on December 29. Multiple individuals linked to the case have also been summoned for questioning.
The investigation stems from charges filed by the Mumbai Police in 2021, when Kundra was arrested in connection with the app. He was later granted bail. Police claim Hotshots was used to upload explicit content, with the proceeds allegedly routed overseas. During the probe, police found WhatsApp chats on Kundra’s phone discussing financial dealings with Kenrin Pvt Ltd, a London-based company linked to Hotshots, including a sale of 119 adult films for $1.2 million.
Kundra has denied the allegations, stating that there is no evidence linking him to any criminal activity. “I have been falsely implicated,” he said in a 2021 court hearing. Recently, he reiterated his stance, adding, “I am fully complying with the investigation, which has been ongoing for the last four years.” Shilpa Shetty’s lawyer emphasized that the action is not directed at the actor and that Kundra is cooperating to ensure the truth is revealed.
The police investigation has also uncovered allegations of exploitation involving actors who were reportedly lured into performing explicit scenes under false pretenses. Complaints from three women led to the filing of FIRs, including one at Lonavla police station near Mumbai. Authorities are continuing to investigate the operation of similar “porn-like apps” across the internet.
This is not the first time Kundra has faced legal scrutiny. Earlier this year, the ED attached ₹98 crore in assets belonging to Kundra and Shetty in a separate cryptocurrency-related case. However, the Bombay High Court later granted relief from this attachment.
The ongoing ED investigation is focused on tracing the financial transactions linked to Hotshots, with officials alleging funds were laundered and sent abroad through a complex network of transfers. Kundra’s upcoming appearance before the ED is expected to shed more light on the matter as authorities work to establish the connections between the app, its financial dealings, and the individuals involved. Kundra continues to maintain his full cooperation with the investigation.
