Actor Dharmendra faces legal trouble: Summoned in Garam Dharam Dhaba cheating case; Read on

synopsis

Veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra, known for his iconic roles in films like Sholay and Rakhwala, is now at the center of a legal dispute. A Delhi court has summoned the actor along with two others in connection with a cheating case involving the Garam Dharam Dhaba franchise. After a businessman named Sushil Kumar submitted a complaint alleging that he was duped into investing in the restaurant chain, the summons was issued.

The incident dates back to 2018 when Kumar was approached by a co-accused, acting on behalf of Dharmendra, with an offer to open a franchise of Garam Dharam Dhaba along the NH-24/NH-9 highway in Uttar Pradesh. Kumar claims he was promised lucrative returns, with assurances that the existing branches in Delhi’s Connaught Place and Murthal, Haryana, were generating impressive turnovers of Rs 70 to 80 lakh monthly.

However, Kumar alleges that after investing, he found the business was not as profitable as claimed, prompting him to file a case. The court's summoning order on December 5, 2024, states that the evidence provided indicates the accused, including Dharmendra (referred to in the summons as Dharam Singh Deol), intentionally misled the complainant. The court invoked sections 420 (cheating), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 34 (common intent) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with section 506 (criminal intimidation) for the co-accused.

The court emphasized that at this stage, it was only necessary to establish a prima facie case, not delve into the detailed merits of the case. The summons were issued to all three accused, and the matter is set for further hearings on February 20, 2025.

The case has attracted significant attention, especially considering Dharmendra's long-standing reputation in the entertainment industry. As of now, the actor has yet to publicly comment on the allegations.