Mumbai: Actress Caught for Cheating Splurged on Luxury Cars, Watches

June 3, 2015

Mumbai, Jun 3: A small-time actress and her boyfriend have been arrested for cheating more than 1,000 people of crores of rupees to quench their thirst to live the high life.

Leena Maria PaulThe Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Crime Branch has found that the couple bought nine luxury cars, 117 imported watches, a sports bike, 12 cellphones and several other items with the money that people gave them for their 'investment' company.

Police arrested actress Leena Maria Paul (26) and her live-in partner Shekar Chandrashekar (25), along with four others Adil Jaipuri (24), Akhtar Jaipuri (55), Salman Rizvi (28) and Nasir Jaipuri (50). Paul has worked with Mohanlal in the 2009 film Red Chillies, and John Abraham in Madras Cafe.

The EOW officers said they got a tip-off that Chandrashekar, identified as the mastermind, was running a double investment scam in Goregaon and lived a posh lifestyle with the money.

"Based on this information, we raided Chandrashekar's office and learnt that he was running a company called Lion Oak India and was illegally accepting cash deposits, for which he had started bogus schemes such as Lucky Number 05, Special Harvest Week, Super Harvest Plus, and Weekly New Year Bonanza," said Dhananjay Kamlakar, joint commissioner of police, EOW.

The scam

The accused would promise people extravagant returns on sums they invested 20 per cent on a monthly basis, and 300 per cent in three months. They would then splurge on luxury products using the hard-earned money of investors. Police have recovered nine luxury cars including brands like Bentley, Audi, Mercedes, Maserati, Nissan - 117 imported watches, mobile phones, and a sports bike.

"The accused also purchased a Honda sports bike worth Rs. 23 lakh.

We have found around 117 imported high-end watches and 12 mobile phones from brands like Vertu with Chandrashekar. He was paying around Rs. 75,000 as rent for house in Imperial Heights, Goregoan," said Kamlakar. Police have learnt that Paul was in a live-in relationship with Chandrashekar and the couple had landed in the police's net in Chennai for cheating Canara Bank in 2013.

Chandrashekar had posed as an IAS officer and obtained a loan of Rs. 19 crore from the bank. "They did not have any permissions to start the company and Chandrashekar had been arrested by the Chennai police earlier for posing as an IAS officer and cheating the bank. Yet, around 1,000 people invested with them. They have cheated these people to the tune of R10 crore," added Kamlakar.

"They would only accept cash. When people came to them on the due date (of the scheme) to collect their money, they used to convince them to re-invest and promised good returns. They also signed agreements with investors to gain their confidence," said DCP Pravin Padwal from the EOW.

Several doctors in the city have fallen prey to the schemes. Advocate Adnan Shaikh said three doctors had approached him till date. Dr Mursalin Sheikh, a general physician, told mid-day, "After putting in R10 lakh, I was told we had to keep on investing or the scheme would be stopped. I gave around Rs. 25 lakh.

They had promised us gifts like watches, cars and cellphones. We didn't get anything." Dr Sheikh realised he'd been taken for a ride when the mobile phones of the accused were switched off one day and their office was locked. The accused have been booked for cheating and criminal conspiracy, and under relevant sections of the Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978.

I've been cheated of Rs. 2.5 crore: Rakhi Sawant

Among the victims of the investment scam is actress Rakhi Sawant. Sawant said, "I had invested around Rs. 2.5 crore.

He (Shekar) approached us from time to time and requested us to invest money. I saw his fancy lifestyle and thought he was a big financier. This comes as a shock. I had hoped to get my money back," she said.

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News Network
April 28,2020

Los Angeles, Apr 28: A top-secret documentary feature about former first lady Michelle Obama is set to start streaming worldwide on Netflix from May 6.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the doc shares its title with Michelle Obama's best-selling 2018 memoir "Becoming" and recounts some of the same history of her life.

"Becoming", like the best documentary feature Oscar winner "American Factory", comes from Higher Ground, the production company run by former President Barack Obama and the former first lady, which has an exclusive pact with the streamer.

The documentary marks the feature directorial debut of cinematographer Nadia Hallgren known for her work on "Trouble the Water", the 2008 indie about a couple surviving failed levees, bungling bureaucrats, and their own troubled past and a portrait of a community abandoned long before Hurricane Katrina hit.

"Becoming" also picks up where that story left off by following her on the 34-city tour that she undertook while promoting her book.

"Those months I spent traveling meeting and connecting with people in cities across the globe drove home the idea that what we share in common is deep and real and can't be messed with.

"In groups large and small, young and old, unique and united, we came together and shared stories, filling those spaces with our joys, worries and dreams. We processed the past and imagined a better future. In talking about the idea of 'becoming,' many of us dared to say our hopes out loud," Michelle Obama said in a statement.

The former first lady also addressed the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

"It's hard these days to feel grounded or hopeful, but I hope that like me, you'll find joy and a bit of respite in what Nadia has made. Because she's a rare talent, someone whose intelligence and compassion for others comes through in every frame she shoots.

"Most importantly, she understands the meaning of community, the power of community, and her work is magically able to depict it.

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News Network
April 8,2020

Washington, Apr 8: Choosing stethoscope over the crown, Miss England 2019, Bhasha Mukherjee, has returned to work as a doctor as the world battles with coronavirus pandemic.

According to CNN, she was a junior doctor with a specialisation in respiratory medicine, before being crowned as Miss England in August last year. The beauty queen, who has her roots in India's Kolkata city, had taken a career break from the medical field.

She had paused her medical career for some humanitarian work that she was offered by several charities and was on a tour to different countries including India.

"I was invited to Africa, to Turkey, then to India, Pakistan and several other Asian countries to be an ambassador for various charity work," CNN quoted her as saying.

She had been in India at the beginning of March for four weeks. During her stay as an ambassador of the Coventry Mercia Lions Club, the 24-year-old had visited several schools and had donated stationery and other items to the needy.

Mukherjee then returned back UK as the situation worsened there with the coronavirus spreading at a fast rate. She then contacted the hospital and asked them that she wanted to rejoin.

According to CNN, the Miss England beauty pageant winner said that she felt wrong to be wearing the crown while people around the world were dying from the virus.

"When you are doing all this humanitarian work abroad, you're still expected to put the crown on, get ready... look pretty. I wanted to come back home. I wanted to come and go straight to work," CNN quoted her as saying.

"I felt a sense of this is what I'd got this degree for and what better time to be part of this particular sector than now. It was incredible the way the whole world was celebrating all key workers, and I wanted to be one of those, and I knew I could help," she added.

As the beauty queen has a recent travel history, she is currently in self-isolation and will return to work once her quarantine period is over.
She was crowned as Miss England 2019 in August last year.

According to World Health Organisation, 13,53,361people have been affected by coronavirus and over 80,000 people have lost their lives to it.

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News Network
June 17,2020

New Delhi, Jun 17: Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan expressed sorrow over the 'unrest' the country is facing, following the news of the Indian Army personnel being killed in a face-off with the Chinese in Ladakh's Galwan Valley was confirmed.

The 'Super 30' actor said that the situation of 'unrest' people are facing now and to know about the loss of lives in Ladakh has left him with a "heavy heart."

"Our defence stands tall on the ground. My highest respect to the martyred in the line of duty. Condolences & prayers for their families. May the departed & living find peace," the 'War' actor tweeted.

Signalling to the strength and showing support to the Indian Army, veteran actor Anupam Kher wrote on Twitter: "Bharatiya Sena Ki Jai. Jai Hind"

While, 'Golmaal' actor, Tusshar Kapoor tweeted: "More power to our heroes, our brave soldiers in all frontiers! RIP our martyrs!"

The violent face-off happened on late evening and night of June 15 in Ladakh's Galwan Valley as a result of an attempt by the Chinese troops to "unilaterally change" the status quo during de-escalation in Eastern Ladakh and the situation could have been avoided if the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side, India said on Tuesday.

The Army confirmed that 20 soldiers were killed in the face-off including 17 who were critically injured at the stand-off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain.

Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area in Ladakh where they had earlier clashed on the night of June 15 and 16, Indian Army said.

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