A high-profile fraud case has gripped Mumbai, with Bhojpuri actress Aakanksha Awasthi and husband Vivek Kumar facing serious allegations of duping a businessman of 11.5 crore rupees. Pantnagar police filed an FIR on January 28 following Hitesh Kantilal Ajmera’s complaint, invoking Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for cheating and conspiracy.
The scam exploited Ajmera’s business savvy in customs clearance, reeling him in with glamourous film promises. Aakanksha highlighted her Andheri West studio, ‘AKS Pathshala Entertainment,’ as a Bhojpuri powerhouse for shoots and training, offering equity, celebrity status, and 200 crore in no-interest funding.
Vivek escalated the bait, spinning a tale of 300 crore cash immobilized in a Betiah warehouse over legal issues. He pitched it as a quick-flip investment, repayable at 200 crore in days, with Aakanksha’s stamp of approval. Ajmera bit, wiring 11.5 crore from March to July 2024 via diverse channels.
Deception peaked with a Patna tour displaying bogus papers and a foiled Betiah excursion. On July 5, Vivek vanished from the car under a flimsy pretext, phone silenced forever. Post-evasion excuses dried up, compounding Ajmera’s trauma and delaying his FIR amid health breakdowns.
Police have seized on bank records, studio claims, and phony docs for a thorough sift. The Economic Offences Wing now leads, promising rigorous pursuit. This exposé challenges the Bhojpuri industry’s sheen, spotlighting risks of unchecked influence peddling and fabricated fortunes.