16 November,2024 12:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Disha Patani, Jagdish Singh Patani Pic/Instagram
Bollywood beauty Disha Patani's father Jagdish Singh Patani, a retired deputy SP, was allegedly defrauded of Rs 25 lakh by a group of five individuals who promised him a high-ranking position in the Uttar Pradesh government commission. Patani approached the police who then lodged an FIR based on his complaint.
Jagdish Patani, a resident of Bareilly's Civil Lines area, alleged that Shivendra Pratap Singh, whom he knew personally, introduced him to Diwakar Garg and Acharya Jayaprakash, according to the complaint.
The accused claimed to have strong political connections and assured Patani of securing a position as chairman, vice-chairman, or a similar prestigious post in a government commission.
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After gaining Patani's trust, the group allegedly took Rs 25 lakh from him - Rs 5 lakh in cash and Rs 20 lakh through transfers to three different bank accounts.
When no progress was made over three months, the accused promised to return the money with interest, the complaint stated. However, when Patani demanded his money back, they began issuing threats and behaving aggressively, police said.
Patani further alleged that the conmen misled him by introducing an accomplice as an "officer on special duty" named Himanshu to reinforce their false claims of political connections.
An FIR was registered at Bareilly Kotwali police station against Shivendra Pratap Singh, Diwakar Garg, Acharya Jayaprakash from Juna Akhara, Preeti Garg, and one unidentified person for cheating, criminal intimidation, and extortion.
"Efforts are underway to arrest the accused and take strict action," Kotwali police station in-charge D K Sharma told PTI.
Disha saw success with the Telugu film âKalki 2898 AD', where she was paired with Prabhas. Her character Roxie is a worker in the Complex who takes Bhairava inside for the first time. She recently starred in âKanguva' with Suriya and Bobby Deol. Directed by Siva and produced by Studio Green, 'Kanguva' features epic battle sequences and grand visuals, with the story spanning 1,500 years into the past. Disha will next be seen in âWelcome to the Jungle' which stars Akshay Kumar, Raveena Tandon, and Lara Dutta among others.