Did Karishma Tanna's spouse and TV presenter Samir Kochhar fall victim to Rs 1.3 Crore fraud? Know details

Karishma Tanna's husband, Varun Bangera, and actor/TV host Samir Kochhar have filed a complaint against a couple in real estate. They claim Pronit Nath and Amisha Nath cheated them of Rs 1.3 crore. The complaint, filed on October 21, 2023, includes charges under Indian Penal Code sections 409, 420, and 120 (B) at Andheri police station.

In a detailed account provided in the FIR, Samir Kochhar, a businessman residing in JVPD, Andheri West, along with his wife Radhika Kochhar and their friend Varun Bangera, embarked on a property search in December 2020. Their path crossed with Pronit Nath and Amisha Nath, who purportedly had plans to develop a four-story edifice in Pali Village, Bandra West, with the intention of selling it subsequently. Upon visiting the initially vacant land, the Kochhar trio met Pronit Nath, who presented a blueprint delineating their construction plans. Following this encounter, the Kochhar couple decided to acquire a 660 sq ft flat on the 3rd floor, while Varun Bangera opted for a 750 sq ft flat on the 4th floor.

In subsequent meetings, Pronit reassured them that the land was unencumbered by any loans and possessed a clear title. The agreed-upon price for the Kochhars' flat was fixed at ₹1.95 crore, and they made an initial payment of ₹11 lakhs through a cheque issued from HDFC Bank on December 9, 2020. Meanwhile, the Bangeras had previously furnished a cheque of ₹19.85 lakhs as a token amount in August 2020.

However, to their dismay, the Kochhar trio discovered later that the property earmarked for purchase was burdened by a loan, as Nath had mortgaged the land with a financial institution. Despite persistent inquiries regarding the construction progress, Nath, on June 3, 2022, assured them that the building would be completed within three months. The situation took an unexpected turn on June 23, 2023, when Nath, via WhatsApp messages, conveyed to Kochhar and Bangera that they had decided to rescind the sale and intended to retain the property for themselves. This revelation came as a shock to the Kochhar couple and Varun Bangera.

The FIR was prompted by Nath's communication through his legal representatives in the high court, where he asserted that he had already entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to sell the property to another party. In an attempt to enforce the MOU, Kochhar approached the High Court, seeking directives for Nath to proceed with the agreement. On July 26, Justice Kamal Khata issued a restraining order, preventing Nath from transferring ownership of the disputed flat to a third party.

Nath contested this decision before a division bench of the High Court. However, on October 5, the bench led by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya declined to intervene or overturn the single judge's order, which prohibited Nath from transferring ownership of the contested flat.

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• Karishma Tanna
• Samir Kochhar
• Varun Bangera