E-Paper
No pre-arrest bail to MMA master booked for cheating Tiger Shroff’s mom
The sessions court in Mumbai has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of businessman Alan Fernandes, who is accused of duping actor Tiger Shroff's mother, Ayesha Shroff, out of ?58 lakh. Fernandes allegedly posed as a fighter and MMA master and convinced the Shroffs to conduct MMA events, taking money directly from gym clients. The court stated that Fernandes is involved in a serious financial crime and custodial interrogation is required for further investigation.
MUMBAI: The sessions court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of businessman Alan Fernandes booked for allegedly duping actor Tiger Shroff’s mother Ayesha Shroff to the tune of ₹58 lakh.
In her complaint, Aayesha Shroff said she was looking after her son’s firm, MMA Matrix (Mixed Martial Arts), which organises competitions in India and abroad. In 2018, Super League Fight event was organised by the firm in Mumbai, where Aayesha met Fernandes.
It was claimed that Fernandez introduced himself as a fighter and MMA master and also as the director of the All India Mixed Martial Arts Association.
Later, Fernandes was appointed as director of operation in the firm to consult and help in setting up gyms and organising MMA competitions.
It was alleged that Fernandes told the Shroffs that for conducting events permission of the Global Martial Arts Association (GAMMAF) is required and for which ₹3.50 lakh will be required for India and ₹7.50 lakh for abroad. It was alleged in the complaint that the Shroffs decided to conduct 11 competitions in India and abroad.
The complainant claimed that during the 10th competition, which was to be held in Dubai in November 2022, they came to know that the expenses to conduct the events were not as high as quoted by Fernandes. When the shroffs checked the accounts of their gym, they came to know that during December 2018 to January 2023, the company received ₹58.53 lakh from the gym clients and the said amount was directly transferred in the account of Fernandes.
Besides, Fernandes had stayed in a five-star hotel in Dubai showing a letter that he was a CEO of MMA, but the complainant had issued no such letter.
Apprehending arrest, Fernandes had filed anticipatory bail claiming all the allegations made against him were false. He claimed that he had filed a suit against Aayesha and others on April 15.
He claimed, “The informant started pressuring the All India Mixed Martial Arts Association of which the applicant/accused is a director to change the rules and regulation of the sport of MMA. The informant was insisting and wanted AIMMAA to change the rules and allow the fighters to retain steroid syringes with them during the fights. However, he refused to do the same.”
Fernandes further claimed that on April 15, the Shroffs pressured him to sign a contract as an employee of their firm. He refused as he was a partner in the company. Hence, Fernandes claimed that he was abused followed by which he registered a complaint with the Santacruz police station on April 15.
The court, however, rejected his contentions and observed that, “The applicant/accused is involved in a serious financial crime involving more than crores of rupees and the fraud has been committed. Applicant/accused has deceived the partners and the employers and made huge personal gain and caused unlawful loss to the company. The investigation is required to be done to unearth as to who else is involved in the matter. The applicant/accused has taken money from the gym members directly or indirectly using his authority.”
“The applicant/accused has not come before the court with clean hands. The conduct and tampering of evidence will be decided at the time of trial. The investigation is under progress. Considering the magnitude of the offence, at this stage, custodial interrogation of the accused/applicant is required for further investigation,” the court said, while rejecting his plea.
