Actress Disha Patani's father, and a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police Jagdish Singh Patani, was reportedly defrauded of ₹25 lakh by a group of scammers who promised him a senior position in a government commission, police said on Friday.
The group allegedly took ₹25 lakh from him— ₹5 lakh in cash and ₹20 lakh through transfers to three different bank accounts.
An FIR has been filed against five individuals—Shivendra Pratap Singh, Diwakar Garg, Acharya Jayaprakash (from Juna Akhara), Preeti Garg, and one unidentified person—on charges of cheating, criminal intimidation, and extortion, officials said, reported PTI.
Disha Patani's father, a resident of Bareilly's Civil Lines area, alleged in his complaint that Shivendra Pratap Singh, an acquaintance, introduced him to Diwakar Garg and Acharya Jayaprakash.
The accused reportedly claimed to have strong political connections and assured Patani of a position as chairman, vice-chairman, and other senior government posts.
According to Jagdish Singh's complaint, the conmen had even introduced one of the accomplices, Himanshu, as an "officer on special duty".
The retired police officer also alleged that when no progress was made, even after paying the whole amount, the group promised to return the money with interest. The police are currently investigating the case.
Disha Patani recently starred in the film Kanguva alongside Tamil superstar Suriya. The film, which was released in theatres on November 15, has received mixed reactions from audiences at the box office.
The Kanguva film features sequences set 1,500 years ago, blending action and historical elements. Suriya plays dual roles, portraying both a modern, stylish character and a fierce, warrior-like figure from the past. Bobby Deol stars as the intense antagonist.
Prior to Kanguva, Disha was seen in Kalki 2898 AD, where she shared screen space with Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, and Kamal Haasan. In the film, she played the love interest of Prabhas' character.
