Old tactics, new victims & the ‘trade’ continues

LUCKNOW: Vinod Kaushal, 35, of Milkipur, Faizabad, trusted his friend and invested Rs 5 lakh, savings and money borrowed from parents, in the Emperor Media and Entertainment Private Limited run by Anara Gupta, former Miss Jammu and Bhojpuri actor.

Kaushal is married and selfemployed. In Milkipur, a tehsil in Faizabad district, Kaushal runs a small NGO to earn a living.

However, Kaushal is ruing the day he accepted his friend’s advice and invested all his savings in the Emperor Media and Entertainment Private Limited. The firm promised to double the amount in 11 months by investing in production of Hindi and Bhojpuri films.

Kaushal is now a broke. The company also got prepared its e-wallet to transfer the

amount on weekly basis into the account of investors.

The Emperor Media and Entertainment Private Limited, run by Bhojpuri actress Anara Gupta allegedly duped 45,000 gullible investors of over ₹200 crore from all across the country in the name of investment in production of Hindi and Bhojpuri films.

“It was after much insistence

and assurance from my friend in Lucknow that I invested in the company (Emperor Media and Entertainment Private Limited) on September 30 this year,” Kaushal told HT over phone from Milkipur, Faizabad.

“An offer of doubling of the investment in 11 months and friend’s assurance that the company was genuine, nudged me to invest in it. I invested all my savings and borrowed money from parents also,” said Kaushal.

Now, I stand nowhere, he added regretfully.

It was on November 30 that Kaushal and his friends came to know that they had been duped.

“Along with my friends, I visited the company’s office at Vibhuti Khand, Gomti Nagar, on November 30. After reaching there, we saw some persons interrogating the company’s staff. After inquiring, we came to know that STF was quizzing the staff,” said Kaushal.

Then we realised that the company has cheated us, said Kaushal. He has received only two weekly installments.

Akhand Pratap, who is also a native of Milkipur, but lives in the state capital, is another victim.

Pratap considers himself most unlucky.

It was on November 29, just a day before the company’s Vibhuti Khand office was raided by the STF, he had invested Rs 3 lakh.

“My account was debited on November 30. And I visited the company’s office along with my friends next day just to check. There I saw the STF sleuths quizzing the staff,” said Pratap.

“It was through some friends that I came to know about the company. At the onset everything appeared genuine. So, my friends and I invested in the company while expecting good returns,” said Pratap.

He has lodged an FIR at the Vibhuti Khand police station against the company.

Ganesh Acharya and RS Pandey, both employees of the Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Limited, also got enticed by the company’s offer- double the amount in 11 months.

There are many in the state capital, who have been duped by Anara Gupta’s company.