Income Tax team also searched Shilpa Shetty’s Bastian premises in Mumbai and Bengaluru following a police case over alleged late-night operations at the Bengaluru outlet.
BY PC Bureau
December 18, 2025: Income Tax officials on Thursday conducted searches at the Mumbai residence of Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra as part of investigations linked to her high-end restaurant chain, Bastian, sources said. Simultaneous searches were also carried out at select premises in Bengaluru, intensifying scrutiny of the celebrity couple’s business interests.
The development follows action against Bastian outlets earlier this week. On December 17, Income Tax teams searched Bastian’s Dadar outlet in Mumbai and its Church Street outlet in Bengaluru. The probes come a day after Bengaluru Police registered an FIR against Bastian Garden City for allegedly operating beyond permitted closing hours, in violation of provisions of the Karnataka Police Act.
Bastian Under Scanner
Bastian, a premium seafood-focused hospitality brand founded by restaurateur Ranjit Bindra and co-owned by Shilpa Shetty—who reportedly holds a 50% stake after investing in 2019—has expanded rapidly with outlets in Mumbai, Goa and Bengaluru. The brand is known for its upscale ambience and celebrity clientele.
Trouble began after CCTV footage dated December 11 surfaced online, purportedly showing activity at the Bengaluru outlet around 1.30 am, beyond the stipulated 1 am closing time for establishments without special permission. The footage, which captured a verbal altercation among patrons, prompted Cubbon Park Police to register a suo motu case against the outlet’s manager and staff. A similar FIR was filed against another pub as part of a broader crackdown on late-night violations ahead of the New Year.
After being charged for cheating in a ₹60 Crore fraud case, today Income Tax Officials raided Shilpa Shetty & Raj Kundra’s Bastian Garden City pub in Bengaluru.
What did you think ‘aise’ Mahal ‘aise’ hi thode bante hai? Btw, is there so much money in Soft (?) Porn Industry? pic.twitter.com/kDbkPN8kaM
— BhikuMhatre (@MumbaichaDon) December 17, 2025
Shilpa Shetty responded on social media, describing the allegations as “baseless and motivated”, and said she was cooperating fully with authorities. She also said the matter was pending before a court.
Sources indicated that the Income Tax searches at Bastian premises in Mumbai and Bengaluru are focused on examining financial records and transactions, though officials have not issued a formal statement.
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Parallel ₹60-Crore Cheating Probe
Separately, Shilpa Shetty and her husband, businessman Raj Kundra, are facing an ongoing investigation by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in a ₹60-crore cheating case.
The case was filed in August 2025 on a complaint by Mumbai-based businessman Deepak Kothari, director of Lotus Capital Financial Services. He alleged that between 2015 and 2023, he invested around ₹60.4 crore in Best Deal TV Pvt Ltd—a now-defunct home shopping and online retail company linked to the couple—based on assurances of returns and repayment. He has claimed the funds were diverted and not repaid despite repeated demands.
Initially registered under charges of criminal breach of trust, the EOW later added cheating under Section 420 of the IPC after what it described as fresh evidence. The couple has approached the Bombay High Court seeking to quash the FIR, arguing that the dispute is civil in nature and has been given a criminal colour. The court has also directed them to deposit ₹60 crore or furnish a bank guarantee for any interim relief.
In a joint statement posted on Instagram on December 17, Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra denied the allegations, calling them “baseless and motivated”. They said they had fully cooperated with investigators and expressed confidence in the judicial process, urging the media to exercise restraint as the matter is sub judice.
While Raj Kundra has faced legal scrutiny in the past, including in a high-profile pornography case, the couple maintains that their business ventures are legitimate. Multiple agencies—the Income Tax Department, Bengaluru Police and Mumbai EOW—are currently investigating the matters, and no charges have been proven so far.
