Kkusum Actor & Pharma Firm COO Anuj Saxena Arrested For Allegedly Duping Investors Of Rs 141 Crore

Television actor and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Elder Pharmaceuticals Anuj Saxena has been arrested by the city Economic Offence Wing (EOW) for allegedly duping investors of around Rs 141 crore. Apparently, the police have frozen several bank accounts of the firm which have around Rs 250 crore in it.

An officer was quoted by TOI as saying, "The cheating amount in the FIR is around Rs 8.5 crore. However, as per bank records investors have deposited around Rs 141 crore."

As per IE report, EOW sought the Kkusum actor's custody to probe his role as COO of the company, but he denied the EOW's plea stating that he is a medical practitioner and has a company that manufactures kits and sanitisers, required during the ongoing pandemic.

Reacting to the actor's plea, according to the leading daily, Special Judge Abhijeet Nandgaonkar said, "...entire prevailing circumstances may be in exclusive knowledge of this applicant/accused holding higher post in the company, which has to be explored by the investigating officer during the course of investigation... Even though he is a medical practitioner and in this Covid-19 situation is manufacturing kit, sanitiser etc., but we cannot overlook the fraud which was committed by duping gullible investors."

The court accepted contention of the EOW that Anuj might know about the alleged cheating and was sent to the EOW's custody till Monday (May 3).

Apparently, Anuj's father Jagdish Saxena's demise (who owned Elder Pharmaceuticals in 2013) had led to disputes within the family over property and assets left behind by him. Various FIRs were filed against Anuj and his elder brother over non-payment of dues to creditors and investors.