Actor Shilpa Shetty on Thursday strongly denied reports claiming that an Income-Tax raid had been conducted at her premises, calling the information misleading and incorrect. The clarification came after multiple media reports suggested that Income-Tax officials had carried out searches linked to businesses associated with Shetty and her husband, businessman Raj Kundra. Addressing the speculation, Shetty’s legal team issued a formal statement to set the record straight.
Advocate Prashant Patil, representing Shilpa Shetty Kundra, released an official clarification stating that no Income-Tax raid of any kind had taken place against the actor. “On behalf of my client, Mrs. Shilpa Shetty Kundra, I can confirm that there is no Income-Tax ‘raid’ of whatsoever nature against my client,” the statement read. According to the lawyer, what was being referred to as a raid was, in fact, a routine verification process carried out by Income-Tax officials.
Patil further explained that the verification pertained to standard follow-up procedures and should not be misconstrued as a search or raid. “There is only a routine verification by the Income-Tax officials pertaining to follow-up with my client, Mrs. Shilpa Shetty Kundra,” he added, emphasising that the situation had been exaggerated in public discourse.
The lawyer also issued a stern warning against attempts to link this routine verification to any other investigation or legal matter. He stated that any individual or organisation that “mischievously” connects the Income-Tax exercise with the alleged Economic Offence Wing (EOW) case would face legal consequences. “Whomsoever has mischievously claimed in the public domain that these developments have anything to do with the alleged Economic Offence Wing case shall face legal consequences before the appropriate court of law,” Patil said. Reiterating his client’s position, he stressed once again that “there is no Income-Tax ‘raid’ at her place.”
The clarification came amid widespread reports that Income-Tax searches were underway on entities owned or operated by Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra across multiple cities, including Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru. According to sources cited in earlier reports, the focus of the Income-Tax department’s action was Bastian Hospitality, the company that operates Bastian-branded restaurants and clubs in cities such as Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru and Goa.
Some reports had claimed that officials conducted searches at certain outlets and at the residences of the promoters beginning Wednesday. These searches were reportedly linked to a case involving Bastian Garden City, a pub in Bengaluru. The outlet is co-owned by Shilpa Shetty and had recently come under scrutiny following police action.
The developments are connected to an earlier move by the Bengaluru police, who registered cases against two pubs—Bastian Garden City and Sourberry Pub—for allegedly operating beyond permitted hours. Bastian Garden City, which is partially owned by Shetty, was among the establishments named in the case. The police action followed the circulation of CCTV footage showing a late-night incident at Bastian Pub around 1:30 a.m. on December 11. The footage allegedly showed two groups of patrons engaged in a heated argument, though authorities clarified that no serious physical violence was reported.
In addition to the CCTV footage, videos circulating online allegedly suggested that both Bastian Garden City and Sourberry Pub were functioning beyond legally permitted hours, prompting authorities to register cases against the establishments. The investigations into these alleged violations are currently ongoing, and officials have stated that further details will emerge as the inquiry progresses.
Bastian Pub was founded by Bastian Hospitality, a company owned by businessman Ranjit Bindra. Shilpa Shetty acquired a 50 percent stake in the venture in 2019, becoming a co-owner of the brand. Since then, Bastian has expanded its presence across multiple Indian cities, positioning itself as a premium hospitality brand.
Shilpa Shetty has categorically denied all allegations related to the case involving the pub. In an earlier statement, the actor said the claims were baseless and legally untenable. She also confirmed that a petition challenging the proceedings had already been filed before the High Court and is currently awaiting adjudication.
“Having fully cooperated with the investigation, we are sanguine that justice will prevail and have complete faith in the law-enforcement authorities and the judicial system of our country,” Shetty stated. She also appealed to the media to act responsibly, noting that the matter is sub judice. “We respectfully urge the media to exercise restraint,” she added.
As of now, authorities have not released additional information regarding the Income-Tax verification or the police investigations into the pubs. With legal proceedings underway, all parties involved await further clarity as the cases continue to unfold.
