The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim protection from arrest to actor Alok Nath in connection with a fraud case linked to an alleged multi-level marketing scheme in Haryana.
A bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan, while hearing Nath’s plea, issued notices to the Haryana Police and other parties. The bench directed, “In the meanwhile, no coercive steps to be taken against the petitioner by the respondents till the next date of hearing.”
Earlier, the top court had also protected actor Shreyas Talpade in the same case.
Thirteen people, including actors and brand ambassadors Alok Nath and Shreyas Talpade, were booked on the complaint of Vipul Antil, a 37-year-old resident of Sonipat. Antil alleged that the two actors promoted the Human Welfare Credit Cooperative Society Ltd. as brand ambassadors, which lured investors into depositing their money.
According to ACP Murthal Ajeet Singh, the society was under probe for operating as a multi-marketing company. He said, “They were named in the complaint. An FIR has been registered. Now, it will be investigated what was their role.”
The FIR, lodged on January 22, was registered under Sections 316, 318 and 420 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, for offences including cheating and criminal breach of trust.
The complaint alleged that the society, registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, began operations in 2016, offering savings schemes such as fixed deposits and recurring deposits. It projected itself as a secure financial institution and aggressively marketed its schemes, attracting thousands of investors.
While investors initially received returns, by 2023 the payouts of maturity amounts were disrupted. The society allegedly attributed the delay to “system upgradation.” Antil claimed that when investors sought explanations, they were given false assurances, and eventually the society’s owners severed all contact, leaving investors without their savings.
The Supreme Court’s notice seeks responses from the Haryana Police and other concerned parties. The matter will be heard again on the next scheduled date, with Nath continuing to enjoy interim protection from arrest until then.
