Sat Nov 30 07:20:56 UTC 2024: ## Kundra Denies Wrongdoing, Condemns Media Coverage Amidst ED Raids
**Mumbai, India** – Businessman Raj Kundra has vehemently denied allegations of money laundering and involvement in the production and distribution of pornography following raids on his properties by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Kundra, whose 15 premises, including his Juhu residence, were searched Friday, stated on Instagram that he is fully cooperating with the four-year-old investigation.
He condemned the media’s portrayal of the situation, specifically criticizing the inclusion of his wife, actress Shilpa Shetty, in the reporting. Kundra’s lawyer issued a statement demanding that the media respect the privacy of his family. Shilpa Shetty’s lawyer separately dismissed media reports of raids on her properties as “misleading,” stating she is not implicated in any offence.
The ED’s investigation centers on Kundra’s alleged role in monetizing explicit content through the ‘Hotshots’ app, which was removed from Apple and Google Play stores following controversy. Authorities allege Kundra used his company, Armsprime Media Pvt Ltd, to manage the app, later facilitating its sale to a UK-based firm that continued to stream adult content. The investigation further alleges that aspiring actors were lured with false promises of web series roles and then coerced into filming explicit content. Police reportedly found evidence on Kundra’s phone detailing financial transactions linked to the UK company and the sale of 119 adult films for $1.2 million.
Kundra, who was arrested in 2021 by Mumbai Police and subsequently released on bail, maintains his innocence, claiming he was made a scapegoat. He is also under investigation for his alleged involvement in a crypto-ponzi scheme, with the ED seizing assets worth ₹98 crore (approximately $11.8 million USD) belonging to him and his wife earlier this year. He continues to assert that he had no active role in the production of pornographic material.
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