Mumbai Crime: Actor accuses 'producer' of thrashing and robbing him

Actor Tinu Verma has filed a complaint with Amboli police

Bollywood actor Surendra Verma, alias Tinu Verma, has filed a case against a producer named Samik Basu and three others for allegedly assaulting and robbing him in Jogeshwari on Tuesday. Verma said Basu owes him R3 lakh and he was attacked when he tried to trail him.

The Amboli police have registered a case and are yet to make any arrests.

Verma told mid-day that Basu first approached him on July 15 last year with an offer for a web series titled Raj Rani and said it would be telecast on Netflix. He said he never knew Basu before. "I agreed to work as an action director and actor," said Verma.

The owners of the Borivli flat also accused Basu of cheating them

Basu met Verma at Royal Palm on July 21 and said the shooting would be done in Rajasthan. "The same day he told me that his money had got stuck and he urgently needed Rs 3 lakh cash to be paid to Netflix," Verma said. The actor paid Basu, who shared copies of his PAN card, Aadhaar card, passport and four addresses and promised to return the money in a week.

When Baus did not pay back, Verma visited Royal Palm. "I showed Basu's photograph to security guards and grocery shopkeepers to know if they had seen him there but my efforts went in vain," said Verma, adding, "He would always tell me that the cash has been transferred to my account. But my account was never credited."

All the addresses given by Basu turned out to be fake. He learnt through a real estate broker that Basu lived in a bungalow at Royal Palm.

"I visited his house and his wife Piyali bought a week to return the money. After waiting for more than a month, I filed a non-cognisable complaint against Basu at Aarey police station," said Verma.

After learning about the NC, Basu stopped taking Verma's calls, said an officer attached to Amboli police station. "Basu discreetly shifted his belongings from Royal Palm to Borivali on January 12 mid-night," he said.

Verma said he tried to meet Basu at his Borivli flat but was not allowed. He found out that Basu was shifting to another place on February 15. "When I was chasing him that night, Basu and his three associates intercepted my vehicle on SV Road and thrashed me. They snatched my gold chain and expensive wristwatch," said Verma.
An officer from Amboli police said they are checking the veracity of Verma's claims.

However, there are more allegations of cheating against Basu. Versha Bhagve, the owner of the Borivli flat said Basu never paid rent on time and his cheques bounced. A threat to file a case had no effect on Basu, said the owner.

"Basu had told me that he worked in Sony Media entertainment. I thought he was a good professional but he started to harass us by not giving us rent. This was shocking…" said Bhagve.

The owner of Basu's Royal Palm house, Kamal Sharma, also said he is yet to receive R1.96 rent from Basu.