Surat (Gujarat): A Surat-based pani puri making firm has received a "legal notice" asking him to pay a compensation of Rs 15 crore along with Rs 1.25 lakh as tax and legal fees for using Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's photographs on its Instagram page and advertisements.
Jalpooree Foods India Private Limited received the notice on email by a company claiming to represent the actor.
Shweta Daniel, ACP of Cyber Crime Cell said, "On September 30 the owner of Surat-based Jalpooree Foods India Private Limited received a four-page document as legal notice in Salman Khan's name. The notice was sent under the IT Act by SSR Associates."
The address of the company was stated to be in Noida. But after searching on the internet, the pani puri firm owner found that there was no existence of the consultancy company registered in the name of SSR Associates.
Meanwhile, the pani puri firm's tax advisor Bhagirath Kalathia said he had approached Dinesh Rao, a resident of Mumbai, who is known to have links with Salman Khan and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, for help. He also said that the case can be settled by paying Rs 4 crore via bank transfer and Rs 1.5 crore in cash.
The pani puri owner became doubtful about Kalathia and registered a case at the cyber cell. On investigation, the consultancy company turned out to be fake and Kalathia's role appeared suspicious. Thus, a notice was sent to Kalathia to probe the matter but he had already absconded. Now, efforts are underway to arrest him, police said.
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