Govinda finds himself entangled in a significant legal predicament as the Odisha Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has announced its intention to interrogate the renowned actor regarding his association with a pan-India ponzi scam amounting to Rs 1000 crore. This elaborate scheme, attributed to Solar Techno Alliance (STA-Token), allegedly operated as an illicit online ponzi scheme in India, masquerading as a crypto investment venture.
As per reports from E-Times, Govinda had endorsed the company’s endeavors and is now slated for questioning to provide valuable insights. JN Pankaj, the Inspector General of EOW, stated, “We will soon send a team to Mumbai to question film star Govinda who had attended STA’s grand function in Goa in July and promoted the company in some videos.” It is crucial to note that Govinda is not considered a suspect or accused party in this case. Rather, his involvement is limited to endorsing the company, and he may be treated as a witness in due course.
On the other hand, Govinda’s manager, Shashi Sinha, vehemently denied any connection between the actor and the case. He emphasized that Govinda’s participation was limited to an agency-arranged event and bore no connection to the business or branding aspects of it. Sinha criticized the media for disseminating ‘half-baked’ news and clarified, “Govinda has nothing to do with the case. Govinda had gone through an agency for an event and returned; we have nothing to do with the business or branding of it. All half-baked news has been published in the media.”
It is pertinent to mention that the authorities have already made several arrests in connection with this case. Gurtej Singh Sidhu and Nirod Das, who held prominent positions in the company in India and Odisha, respectively, were apprehended earlier this year. Additionally, Ratnakar Palai, an investment adviser from Bhubaneswar, was arrested in August. Lookout notices have also been issued for the company’s chief, David Gez, a Hungarian national, and three other Indian individuals from Rajasthan, all of whom are alleged to have played roles in the unfolding controversy.