Actor Shreyas Talpade's team has issued an official statement in response to recent allegations linking him to a multi-crore chit fund scam.
The statement strongly denied the reports, labelling the actor's involvement in any fraud or misconduct as "entirely false and baseless".
The team's statement read, "It is deeply unfortunate that in today's world, a person's hard-earned reputation appears to be vulnerable to undue tarnishment by unfounded rumours. Recent reports alleging Mr. Shreyas Talpade's involvement in fraud or misconduct are completely false, baseless and devoid of any merit whatsoever. As a public figure, Mr. Talpade, like many other celebrities, is frequently invited to various corporate and annual events, which he attends as and when possible."
The statement further clarified that beyond attending such events, the actor has no connection whatsoever with the company involved in the scam.
"Needless to say, Mr. Talpade has no nexus whatsoever with any fraudulent or unlawful acts as are being alleged and/or circulated. We urge everyone to verify facts before spreading misinformation and request that Mr. Talpade's name be kept away from these baseless rumors. Mr. Talpade is a law-abiding citizen who remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, honesty and professionalism in all of his endeavours," the statement concluded.
The actor's team issued this response after Shreyas found himself embroiled in a fresh legal issue, with a new fraud case being registered against him and 14 others in Uttar Pradesh. The alleged chit fund scam reportedly operated in the Mahoba district for over a decade.
Earlier reports had indicated that a company called The Loni Urban Multistate Credit and Thrift Cooperative Society Limited had targeted local villagers, promising high returns on investments. The company's agents are said to have collected substantial sums of money from the villagers, luring them with the promise that their investments would double in a short period.
On the work front, Shreyas Talpade will next be seen in Welcome to the Jungle.