Prerna Arora booked for alleged Rs 1.33 crore fraud against 'Fanney Khan' co-producer Kashish Khan

On April 30, film producer Prerna Arora was registered by Versova police for reportedly cheating Kashish Khan, also known as Nafisa Khan, her co-producer on the movie 'Fanney Khan', of Rs 1.33 crore.Initial Meeting and Investment ProposalAccording to Lokmat Times, the FIR states that Kashish Khan, aged 37 and living in Andheri West, first met Prerna Arora, a resident of Hiranandani, Powai, in 2018 through mutual acquaintances. During their introduction, Arora portrayed herself as a film producer with experience working alongside stars like Aishwarya Rai, Akshay Kumar, and John Abraham, which earned Khan’s confidence.Arora purportedly informed Khan that despite possessing a Rs 60 crore fixed deposit, she couldn't obtain a loan using it. Subsequently, she solicited Khan to invest in a film venture, guaranteeing appealing profits. At the time, Arora was engaged in the production of both 'Batti Gul Meter Chalu' and 'Fanney Khan'. Specifically, she requested Khan to invest Rs 50 lakh in 'Fanney Khan', vowing a Rs 10 lakh return, a 5 per cent stake in the film's total earnings, and recognition as a co-producer.Investment and Agreement DetailsIn March 2018, Khan consented to the investment and issued a Rs 50 lakh cheque from her Axis Bank account to Arora. The agreement, however, was signed not with Prerna Arora directly but with her mother, Protima Arora, who served as the director of Sudha Kriraz Entertainment Private Limited.Differences After Film ReleaseUpon the release of 'Fanney Khan' in 2018, featuring Aishwarya Rai, Anil Kapoor, and Rajkummar Rao, Khan discovered that she wasn't credited as a co-producer, nor did she receive the agreed-upon 5 per cent of the profits. When Khan inquired with Arora, Arora cited her father's sickness as a reason and presented a Rs 60 crore fixed deposit certificate, promising the return of the money.Additional Payments and Alleged FraudFrom March 2018 to January 2019, Arora is accused of taking an additional Rs 83 lakh from Khan across several transactions. Since the agreed-upon time passed without Arora returning the total sum, she allegedly defrauded Khan.Arrest and Discovery of ForgeryDuring this period, Prerna Arora was taken into custody by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) for a separate fraud case. Subsequently, Khan found out that the fixed deposit certificate Arora had presented was forged. Following Arora’s release from jail, Khan requested the repayment of her funds, but despite Arora issuing multiple cheques, all of them were dishonored.Legal Action and Charges FiledAs a result, Khan submitted a complaint against Prerna Arora and her mother, leading the police to register a case against both women. The charges include sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating and dishonesty), 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), and 471 (using a forged document as genuine) of the Indian Penal Code.