Veteran actor Alok Nath has been granted interim protection from arrest by the Supreme Court in a fraud case linked to an alleged multi-level marketing scheme in Haryana. The court’s order ensures that Nath cannot be arrested while the case is ongoing.
As reported by PTI, a bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and R Mahadevan issued notice to Haryana Police and others on the ‘Hum Saath-Saath Hain’ actor’s plea. While issuing notices, the bench said, “In the meanwhile no coercive steps to be taken against the petitioner by the respondents till the next date of hearing.” Earlier, the top court had also granted protection from arrest to ‘Golmaal Returns’ actor Shreyas Talpade in the same case.
Thirteen people named in Alok Nath complaintThirteen people, including actors and brand ambassadors Shreyas Talpade and Alok Nath, were booked on the complaint of 37-year-old Sonipat resident Vipul Antil. Antil alleged both actors “promoted the Human Welfare Credit Cooperative Society Ltd, as brand ambassadors.”
ACP Murthal Ajeet Singh said the complaint was against a multi-marketing company under investigation. Regarding the actors, he said, “They were named in the complaint. An FIR has been registered. Now, it will be investigated what was their role.”
FIR filed under criminal breach sectionsThe FIR was registered on January 22, 2025 under Sections 316(2), 318(2), and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. It included various offences such as criminal breach of trust and cheating, based on Antil’s complaint. Antil alleged that the society committed a “serious crime of cheating the public through financial schemes.”
What did the complaint state?According to the complaint, the society was formed under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act and began operating in many states, including Haryana, from September 16, 2016.
“Its main functions were to provide savings schemes like fixed deposit and recurring deposit. It presented itself as a trustworthy and safe financial institution and carried out massive publicity to attract and convince investors. The model was based on multi-level marketing, which rapidly increased the number of investors,” the complaint stated.
Investors misled by promises of safe returnsThe complaint further alleged that the society promised better returns, assured investors that their money would be safe, and claimed the maturity amount would be paid on time.
Initially, they did pay the investors for a few years. However, in 2023, payments began to be disrupted. The society’s officials “kept trying to justify the delay by making the excuse of system upgradation.” When investors and agents approached the society officials, they were given false assurances.