Actor Vijay Deverakonda on Wednesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Hyderabad for questioning in connection with the money trail to his film ‘Liger’. 


Earlier this month, the film’s director Puri Jagannadh and actor-turned-producer Charmme Kaur were also grilled by the ED for the suspected violations of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). 


The ED officials were reported to have questioned the director and producer about the allegations that crores of rupees were invested into the making of the movie from foreign countries allegedly in violation of FEMA. 


The ED took up the investigation after Congress leader Bakka Judson lodged a complaint about the investment into the movie through dubious routes. 


Bakka Judson had complained that even politicians had invested money in the movie. He claimed that the investors found it the easiest way of turning their black money into white. 
 
The investigating agency suspects that several companies had transferred funds to the accounts of the filmmakers. They were asked to provide details of those who had remitted the money and how the payments were made to foreign actors including Mike Tyson and technical crew.


'Liger', reportedly made on the budget of Rs 125 crore, bombed at the box office. A major portion the film starring Vijay Deverakonda and Ananya Panday was shot in Las Vegas and had a cameo by American boxer Mike Tyson. 


Vijay recently spoke about how he took the film’s failure in a conversation with News18. “I don’t know, if I’ve handled things with grace, I just handle them the way I know how it is. It is my reaction to whatever is happening at that point. I just know that I’m very honest with my emotions and feelings. And if that is what I feel at that point, I express it that particular way. And I know that when it is truly what I feel when it is not something I’m saying to get a reaction or to be part of the popular opinion at that point or to get traction when you know that it’s what you feel inside, even if it’s received well or if it’s not received well, because it can go either way once it goes out into the world, it can be perceived in any way. Well, I just know that when it is something I truly believe in, and I say that, and I will always stand by it. And I will not be affected by how it’s received. So, that’s how I just deal with stuff always," Vijay told News 18. 


The actor will be next seen in 'Kushi', a romantic comedy film. It also stars Samantha Ruth Prabhu.   


(With IANS inputs)