Vivek Oberoi’s ex-business partner arrested for cheating him of Rs 1.55 crore

Former business partner of actor Vivek Oberoi and owner of an event firm, Sanjay Saha, has been arrested for allegedly defrauding the actor of Rs 1.55 crore. Two more accused are wanted in the case.The actor’s firm, Oberoi Mega Entertainment LLP, authorised CA Deven Bafna to file a police complaint in July on his behalf against the partners of Anandita Entertainment LLP — Sanjay Saha, Nandita Saha, Radhika Nanda, and others.The actor had alleged in his complaint that the accused made him invest in an event and film production firm promising lucrative profits. But later the accused persons used this money for wrongful self-gain. On Oberoi’s representative’s complaint, the MIDC police in Mumbai booked Saha, his mother Nandita and Radhika in July under sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant, banker, merchant or agent), 420 (cheating) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

According to police, the actor met Sanjay Saha, who was into organising events and producing films, in 2020, when Oberoi and his wife Priyanka were planning to shut down their firm Oberoi Organic LLP.Oberoi partnered with Saha for the business of organising events in the film industry in 2020.According to the police complaint, as per their mutual understanding and agreements, Oberoi Organic LLP’s name was changed into Anandita Entertainment LLP, which would organise events in the film industry and produce films. Saha and his mother’s name were also added as partners in Anandita Entertainment LLP. The name of one Radhika, who is known to Saha, was added as a partner in the firm, and the actor’s wife, Priyanka, was made to resign. After six months, the actor exited as one of the partners of Anandita Entertainment LLP and replaced his share (33.33%) and position with his firm, Oberoi Mega Entertainment LLP, the police said.

Till November 2021, the actor invested Rs 95.72 lakh in Anandita Entertainment LLP. In February 2021, Saha and Oberoi decided to produce the film “Ganshe”, and actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui was signed for it and was paid Rs 51 lakh for the same by Oberoi. The director and writer were also hired and paid. Oberoi and Saha were in talks with Zee5’s OTT platform for broadcasting the film, the police complaint stated.In early 2022, while seeing his investment details, Oberoi observed that Saha had misused funds. When the actor spoke to the manager of the firm, she also corroborated the same. The actor learned that Saha, Nandita, and Radhika allegedly misused the firm’s funds worth Rs 58.56 lakh for personal expenses such as paying for insurance, buying jewellery, drawing salary, etc., says the FIR. Later, Oberoi found that Saha had formed another firm, Anandita Studios Pvt. Ltd., and lied to officers in Zee5 by saying that his firm, Anandita Studios Pvt. Ltd., was producing the film “Ganshe”. After this, Oberoi told Nawazuddin Siddiqui about the fraud, following which the latter returned Rs 51 lakh to Oberoi. The police complaint also alleged that Saha and other accused allegedly pocketed the money worth Rs 60 lakh that the actor and their company got as payment for Oberoi’s guest appearances in various events and programmes.