Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty’s husband and businessman Raj Kundra has been summoned by a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Mumbai in the high-profile Gainbitcoin cryptocurrency fraud and money-laundering case. After the charge sheet of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the court taking cognizance of the case, the court has directed him to appear on January 19, 2026.
ED alleges Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra had Rs 150 crore in Bitcoin; Court has summoned him in money laundering case
According to the supplementary prosecution complaint filed by the ED, Kundra allegedly received the proceeds of crime in the form of 285 Bitcoins, valued at over Rs 150 crore, from late Amit Bhardwaj, the alleged mastermind behind the GainBitcoin scheme. The agency claims that these assets were derived from criminal activities linked to a crypto-mining project that never materialized, and that Kundra remained in possession of them without adequate explanation.
The ED has alleged that Kundra’s involvement went beyond merely acting as an intermediary, rather he was identified as the beneficial owner of these bitcoins. To hide the origin of the money, the agency claims that the sale of a property consisting of five flats in Mumbai’s Juhu area – which was in Shilpa Shetty’s name – was conducted at a rate significantly below the market value, suggesting an attempt to hide the illegal origin of the property.
“A prima facie case has been made out for taking cognizance and issuing process against accused numbers 17 and 18 (Kundra and Rajesh Satija) for the offense under Section 3 of PMLA,” a special judge said in the court order. Along with Kundra, Dubai-based businessman Rajesh Ram Satija has also been summoned in connection with the case.
The GainBitcoin case stems from multiple FIRs lodged by police in Pune and Nanded against Bhardwaj and others on charges including fraud, criminal breach of trust and conspiracy, besides violation of the Information Technology Act and other laws. The ED’s enforcement action includes attachment of movable and immovable properties related to the case, which was earlier confirmed by the PMLA Adjudicating Authority.
Earlier investigations by law-enforcement agencies had identified over Rs 6,600 crore involved in a widespread cryptocurrency scheme that lured investors with high returns through cloud mining promises before branching off and abandoning multiple claimants.
