Was Preity Zinta's Rs 18-crore loan written off? Actress reacts to reports

Social media was abuzz with the reports of Bollywood actress Preity Zinta having taken a loan of Rs 18 crore loan, which was later allegedly written-off by New India Cooperative Bank

Bollywood actress Preity Zinta has strongly denied allegations that a Rs 18 crore loan in her name was written off by the crisis-hit New India Cooperative Bank Ltd. Calling the claims “completely false,” Zinta dismissed the reports, asserting that she has no involvement in the matter.

 

The actress released a statement denying all allegations and clarifying her stance on the matter. The controversy began when Moneylife published a report exposing large-scale financial mismanagement. As the report went viral, social media erupted with reactions, with many users demanding answers from the actress while others criticised her over the alleged loan write-off.

 

What does the report state?

According to the Moneylife report, corporate loans of up to Rs 25 crore were sanctioned without branch managers' consent and most of these loans turned into non-performing assets (NPAs) within a year. The RBI had been alerted by the employees of the bank about the wrongdoings and unethical practices taking place there in January 2020, according to the news report.

 

It alleges that a Rs 18 crore loan was issued to Bollywood actress Preity Zinta and further claims that it was "written off" without adhering to proper recovery procedures, raising concerns over financial irregularities. 

Preity Zinta reacts to allegations

In response to the allegation, the Veer-Zara actress also issued a clarification statement to the portal through her legal team, where she stated that the account is closed now. The statement reads, "More than 12 years ago, I had an overdraft facility with the New India Cooperative Bank. More than 10 years ago, I repaid in full the entire dues in respect of this overdraft facility, and the account stands closed."

 

The report also claimed that over 80 senior staff members from the bank were forced to resign in 2019. This led to employees urging RBI to conduct a forensic audit, dissolve the board of directors, and recover losses from the personal assets of those responsible.

 

RBI has reportedly finally stepped in last week, imposing several operational restrictions, preventing the lender from granting or renewing loans, making investments, or disbursing any payments without prior written approval.

 

On the personal front, Preity made an appearance at the Maha Kumbh. Taking to her handle, she dropped a picture from Prayagraj that saw her forehead smeared with the tilak. "All roads lead to the Maha Kumbh. Satyam Shivam Sundaram," she captioned the post.

Preity Zinta upcoming movie

On the work front, Preity is currently working for her much-anticipated return to Bollywood with Rajkumar Santoshi’s Lahore 1947, produced under Aamir Khan Productions. The movie features Sunny Deol, Shabana Azmi, Ali Fazal, and Karan Deol, marking her comeback after a long hiatus.