Actress Karishma Tanna, her husband Varun Bangera, and actor/TV presenter Samir Kochhar filed a complaint against a couple operating a real estate development firm. The complaint asserts that the couple defrauded them of Rs 1.3 crore.
Real Estate Deception: Karishma Tanna’s Husband and Samir Kochhar Allege Fraud in Property Deal
Bollywood actress Karishma Tanna’s husband, Varun Bangera, and actor/TV presenter Samir Kochhar have filed a complaint against real estate developers Pronit Nath and Amisha Nath, accusing them of defrauding the duo of Rs 1.3 crore. The complaint, filed on October 21, 2023, includes charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating, and criminal conspiracy.
According to the FIR, in December 2020, Samir Kochhar, along with his wife Radhika Kochhar and friend Varun Bangera, explored property options. They encountered Pronit and Amisha Nath, who proposed constructing a four-floor building in Pali Village, Bandra West. The Kochhar couple and Varun Bangera decided to purchase flats on the 3rd and 4th floors, respectively.
Despite assurances from Pronit Nath that the land was free from loans, the Kochhar couple and Bangeras later discovered that the property had a loan against it. Nath had mortgaged the land with a financial company. The agreed-upon price for the Kochhar’s flat was ₹1.95 crore, with a token amount paid via a cheque from HDFC Bank on December 9, 2020.
Subsequently, Nath informed Kochhar and Bangera via WhatsApp messages on June 23, 2023, that they had decided not to sell the property, intending to retain it for themselves. This revelation left the Kochhar couple and Bangera shocked. The legal battle includes efforts to enforce a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and restraining orders against Nath from selling the disputed flat.
Legal Battle Unfolds: High Court Restrains Nath from Selling Disputed Flat Despite MOU
In response to Nath’s communication through his lawyers in the high court, where he asserted that he had already engaged in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to sell the property to someone else, the FIR was filed. Seeking enforcement of the MOU, Kochhar approached the High Court, requesting directions for Nath to fulfill the agreement. On July 26, Justice Kamal Khata issued a restraining order, barring Nath from selling the flat to a third party.
Nath challenged 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 forbade Nath from transferring ownership of the disputed flat.