Operating in the hospitality sector, Hustlers Hospitality Private Limited has allegedly been linked to a drug syndicate led by Aliasgar Shirazi. As per a report by the Free Press Journal, a prosecution complaint (PC) filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) states that the director of the company, Krunal Oza has allegedly been using funds from the drug lord's illegal drug trafficking operations to invest in his restaurant ventures.
Bigg Boss 16 fame Shiv Thakare and Abdu Rozik, who became a household name after their stint in the controversial reality show, had collaborated with Oza to launch their restaurant ventures. According to the media publication, Oza reportedly helped Sirazi launder money earned from his illegal drug trade through these restaurants. ALSO READ: Shiv Thakare Stumbles As He Parks His Electric Scooter In Mumbai; Fans Say, ‘Bach Gayee Car Thukne Se’- VIDEO INSIDE
The complaint details how Oza channelled the profits from the drug trade in his business and converted the earnings from the restaurant and the cloud kitchen into legitimate revenue. He used celebrity endorsements to obscure the illicit nature of his financial activities. He strategically leveraged high-profile names to disguise his money laundering schemes and make them less detectable to the officials and to the public. ALSO READ: Abdu Rozik Dismiss Rumours Of His Engagement Being A PR Stunt; Bigg Boss 16 Clarifies, ‘With God’s Grace I Have Found Someone’
He reportedly circumvented legal financial channels by entering into a partnership with reality show star Shiv Thakare during the launch of his venture ‘Thakare Chai and Snacks’. FPJ reports that he held about 49% stake in the restaurant, while Hustlers retained 51% stake. Oza allegedly invested Rs 25 lakh and also paid a 10% agent commission in cash for the partnership.
As per Shiv's statement to the financial probe, Oza provided him with Rs 11 lakh in cash as a part of the royalty payment for his business venture. Despite requesting a bank transfer, the director has insisted on a cash transaction. He claimed that he was unaware of the funds’ origins. Thakare revealed that Oza had approached him through a PR agency in March 2023 with a proposal to start ‘Shiv Thakare Chai and Snacks’. Oza detailed his extensive experience in the hospitality business when they met at JW Hotel. After knowing that even his friend Abdu Rozik has an existing agreement for yet another restaurant with them, he agreed to the collaboration. They signed an MoU, where Oza had to pay Thakare Rs 25 lakh yearly as a royalty.
Apart from Shiv Thakare’s venture, Oza also launched Tajikistan singer Abdu Rozik’s ‘Burgir Restaurant’ in Mumbai. Just like the previous venture, he invested Rs 25 lakh plus a 10% cash agent commission for the deal. He even invested an additional Rs 90 lakh for the restaurant setup.
The complaint states that the money used in collaborating with celebrities to set up their business ventures and even buying furniture and hiring staff was a part of the drug lord's illegal earnings. The financial probe agency alleges that Oza knew about the origins of the earnings provided by Shirazi and knowingly assisted the latter through his company M/s Hustlers Hospitality Private Limited in “concealing, possessing, acquiring, using, projecting, and claiming these proceeds as untainted for his own personal gain.” The media publication concluded by stating that Krunal Oza and his company have been found guilty under section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. They are liable for punishment under section 4 of the PMLA.
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