SC grants Shreyas Talpade protection from arrest in Haryana marketing scam case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday granted interim protection from arrest to actor Shreyas Talpade in connection with a case involving alleged cheating and breach of trust by a multi-level marketing cooperative society.

A bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and K V Viswanathan issued a notice to the Haryana Police and others on Talpade’s plea seeking relief in the case.

The complaint, filed by Vipul Antil, a 37-year-old resident of Sonipat, names thirteen individuals, including actors Shreyas Talpade and Alok Nath, who were allegedly associated with the Human Welfare Credit Cooperative Society as brand ambassadors.

Antil accused the actors of promoting the society, which is under investigation for financial fraud involving public investment schemes.

According to Additional Commissioner of Police, Murthal, Sonipat, Ajeet Singh, “It has been alleged that they were its brand ambassadors and victims get lured to invest because of such personalities. They were named in the complaint. An FIR has been registered. Now, it will be investigated what was their role.”

The FIR, registered on January 22, 2025, invokes Sections 316(2), 318(2), and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, covering offences such as cheating and criminal breach of trust.

The complaint alleges that the society committed a “serious crime of cheating the public through financial schemes” after promising high returns through savings products like fixed deposits and recurring deposits. It operated under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act and began functioning across several states from 16 September 2016.

“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.

Antil alleged that although the society initially paid out returns, payments began to falter in 2023. He claimed officials offered repeated excuses about “system upgradation” while avoiding accountability. “Gradually, the owners of the society ended all contact and the investors did not get their hard-earned money back,” he added.