Bengali Producer Accuses Puja Banerjee, Kunal Verma Of Abduction And Extortion, FIR Filed
Just days after Puja Banerjee and Kunal Verma came forward claiming they had been duped in a financial scam, a fresh controversy has emerged involving the couple.
Just days after Puja Banerjee and Kunal Verma came forward claiming they had been duped in a financial scam, a fresh controversy has emerged involving the couple. Bengali film producer Shyam Sunder Dey has accused the two actors of kidnapping, assault, and extorting money from him during his recent visit to Goa. Shyam’s wife, Malabika Dey has filed an FIR against the couple.
Allegations of abduction and assault against Puja and Kunal
According to a Times of India report, Shyam had stayed back in Goa for work after his family returned home. He alleged that while he was driving a rented car, a black Jaguar intercepted him and forced him to stop. Two men approached and asked him to step out. Initially hesitant, Shyam said he relaxed upon spotting Puja, assuming the situation was a misunderstanding.
However, what followed took a disturbing turn. Shyam claimed he was taken to a property named Amber Villa, where he was confined from June 1 to June 4. “I stayed at the villa from the 1st to the 4th of June. I wasn't allowed to leave. Every day, I tried to reason with Puja and Kunal — I reminded them we were like family and pleaded with them to stop. But all I faced were threats. I told her, 'Your husband is beating me, fine. But other men are thrashing me in front of you, and you're silent?' How can this be right?" he said in his interview with TOI.
He further added, “I am not saying that the money they demanded was compensation for the abduction. Yes, we had professional transactions. But no business loss, no due payment can justify this kind of madness. Abduction or kidnapping can never be a fair or lawful way to settle anything. There is no excuse for what happened.”
Malabika Dey's statement against Puja Banerjee and Kunal Verma
Malabika Dey took to Facebook to issue a detailed public statement, describing the alleged incident as not just criminal but a violation of deep personal trust. “This incident is not just a serious crime, it is a betrayal and a breach of trust towards a friend. In addition to physical and mental abuse on Shyam, our entire family is suffering deep mental damage from this incident. We are tackling the legal way and have full confidence in the judicial system. I urge all creative society members to be alert,” she wrote.
She further claimed that her husband was coerced into paying ₹64 lakh to avoid being falsely implicated in a drug case. Of that, ₹23 lakh was allegedly handed over—part in cash to Puja’s assistant in Kolkata and the rest via bank transfers to the couple's accounts. Malabika shared snapshots of FIR copies, WhatsApp exchanges, and related financial documents on social media to support their claims.
In her Bengali post, Malabika accused the couple of seizing Shyam’s phones, forcibly accessing his personal data, and making him record videos and sign documents under duress. The videos allegedly depicted Shyam claiming he had voluntarily stayed at Amber Villa Resort.
With the intervention of Goa Police, Shyam was eventually freed. The FIR names Puja Banerjee and Kunal Verma under several sections of the law, including 126(2), 137(2), 140(2), 308(2), 115(2), 351(3), 61(2), and 3(5).
Puja Banerjee and Kunal Verma's earlier claims
This serious allegation comes shortly after the couple themselves spoke out about being victims. In a recent interview with ETimes, Puja had said, “These past 2-3 months have been extremely difficult for us, and we have no idea what will happen next. We have been victims of a fraudulent financial scam and we lost a huge amount…We lost all our savings in this fraud.”
Kunal added that the alleged fraudster was someone they had considered family. "When you trust someone for the past 3 years... Has been with you, became a part of your home and family..." he said.
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