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Stand-up comedian and actor Kapil Sharma has revealed to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that car designer Dilip Chhabria, accused of cheating several celebrities, attempted to shift blame onto him for the non-delivery of a customized vehicle he had ordered and resorted to illegal methods to extract money from him.
The ED, as part of its money laundering case against Chhabria, has recorded the statement of Mohammed Hamid, the authorized representative of Sharma. This statement is a crucial component of the chargesheet filed against Chhabria.
A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court, overseeing the case, has taken cognizance of the chargesheet and issued summons to Chhabria and six other accused individuals. They are required to appear before the court on February 26.
The ED’s case is built upon three FIRs registered against the accused, including a cheating case filed by Sharma himself.
According to Hamid’s statement before the ED, Sharma, the proprietor of K9 Productions, approached Chhabria in December 2016 to purchase a customized vanity van. An agreement was subsequently executed between K9 Productions and Dilip Chhabria Design Private Limited (DCDPL) in March 2017 for the delivery of the van for Rs 4.5 crore (excluding taxes).
Despite the agreed terms, Sharma’s production house made a payment of Rs 5.31 crore (including taxes) to DCDPL, but the promised vanity van was neither delivered nor did Chhabria refund any money.
When questioned about the delay, Chhabria claimed that materials for the van’s interiors were purchased and stored in a warehouse due to financial stress and the need for funds. However, he later demanded an additional Rs 54,20,800 for the vehicle’s delivery, raising suspicions in Sharma’s mind.
Chhabria’s hostile approach and false accusations against Sharma for the van’s non-delivery prompted legal action from Sharma, who sent a recovery notice to Chhabria’s firm in April 2019.
The statement provided by Sharma’s representative sheds light on the alleged attempts by Chhabria to manipulate the situation and extract money unlawfully from the actor. As the legal proceedings progress, further revelations may emerge regarding the intricacies of this case.
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