Businessman Raj Kundra’s house and offices were raided today by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) today as part of a money laundering probe related to the production and distribution of pornographic content through mobile apps.
Mr Kundra, the husband of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, has been under the ED’s lens for months, following allegations that he was a key player in a scheme that monetised explicit content streamed via the now-defunct ‘Hotshots’ application. The app, previously available on platforms like Apple and Google Play, was removed after public and legal scrutiny.
The probe agency also raided other individuals allegedly involved in the case. The operation is believed to have unearthed financial links pointing to the laundering of proceeds generated from the explicit content streamed through mobile platforms.
Mr Kundra’s legal battles are not new. In 2021, he was arrested by Mumbai police in a related case involving obscene material and was later released on bail.
The ED is also probing his alleged involvement in a crypto-ponzi scheme spearheaded by Amit Bhardwaj, the mastermind behind the Gain Bitcoin scam. Earlier this year, the ED attached assets worth Rs 98 crore belonging to Mr Kundra and Ms Shetty, claiming they were acquired using proceeds from illicit activities, including the Gain Bitcoin scam.
