RAJ Kundra is a British businessman and married to Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty.
He has been arrested and reportedly been described by cops in India as the “key conspirator” in a porn production ring.
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Who is Raj Kundra?
Kundra, 45, was born and raised in London.
His father Bal Krishan Kundra was a middle-class businessman and his mother Usha Rani Kundra was a shop assistant when he was a child.
When he was 18 he left home and moved to Dubai and then Nepal where he set up a business selling pashmina shawls.
In 2007 he moved to Dubai and set up Essential General Trading LLC a company dealing in precious metals, construction, mining and green renewable energy projects.
He also became involved in financing and producing Bollywood films.
Kundra has also been associated with a number of other businesses, including Essential Sports and Media and Iconic Investments, a private fund trading in equity markets.
He also has an interest in Bastian Hospitality a restaurant chain in Mumbai.
In 2014, he started Viaan Industries and remains as the Chairman and Non Executive Director.
In 2012, he started Super Fight League, India’s first professional mixed martial arts fight in the league.
In 2015, Kundra became one of the promoters of Best Deal TV, an Indian television home shopping channel.
According to Bollywood Shaadis, Kundra’s net worth is estimated to be around $550million.
They state that he earns his money as CEO of J L Stream PVT Ltd, which covers social media live streaming platforms.
Why has he been arrested?
Kundra was arrested on July 19, 2021, as part of an investigation launched in February this year into a porn production ring.
A total of nine arrests have been made so far, NDTV reports.
A Mumbai police commissioner said in a statement: “We’ve arrested Raj Kundra in this case… as he appears to be the key conspirator of this. We have sufficient evidence regarding this.”
An investigation was launched on February 3, 2021, after a woman approached the cops and complained about being forced to do a porn firm after being promised an acting job, according to the Press Trust of India.
The film company was allegedly set up by Kundra and his brother and registered in the UK to evade Indian cyber-laws.
Kundra has reportedly left the company and denied any wrongdoing.
The videos were allegedly shot in houses and hotels rented in Mumbai, transferred using WeTransfer to the UK and released on paid mobile apps.
The models were wooed with promises of film offers and “forced” to shoot naked scenes for porn films, according to reports.
Kundra, who lives in Mumbai, faces charges of cheating and “obscene and indecent advertisements and displays”.
Publishing or transmitting “obscene” material including porn is illegal in India and punishable by up to seven years in jail.
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Does he have any children?
He has three children in total.
Kundra had a daughter called Deleena with his first wife.
He has a daughter and son with his second wife, Shilpa.
The son Viaan was born on May 21, 2012, while his second daughter Samisha Shetty Kundra was born via surrogacy on February 15, 2020.
After the birth of his son, Kundra wrote on Twitter: “God has blessed us with a beautiful baby boy. Both mother and baby are fine. I am thrilled to bits!!!!!!”
He added: “A big thank you to my wife @TheShilpaShetty for the bestest gift ever, DR Kiran Cohelo and all the staff at Hinduja Hospital!”
After the birth of their second child, Shilpa said: “Our prayers have been answered with a miracle. With gratitude in our hearts we are thrilled to announce the arrival of our little Angel. Samisha Shetty Kundra. Born on 15th February 2020 Junior SSK in the house.”
Who was his first wife?
His first wife was Kavita Kundra but the pair got divorced.
Kundra married his second wife Shilpa on November 22, 2009, and are still married.
Shetty shot to fame in Britain during the 2007 series of Celebrity Big Brother and eventually won the series.
