Puja Banerjee breaks silence on FIR for kidnapping, extortion charges: ‘Going through the toughest time in our lives’

Actor couple Puja Banerjee and Kunal Verma were accused of physical assault and extortion of money by Bengali film producer Shyam Sunder Dey.

Updated on: Jun 27, 2025, 20:17:08 IST

By Santanu Das

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Puja Banerjee and Kunal Verma said that they were the target of a financial fraud earlier this month. A few days later, they were accused of kidnapping Bengali film producer Shyam Sunder Dey, along with charges of physical assault and extortion of money. An FIR was filed against the duo by Shyam's wife, Malabika Dey. On Friday, Puja broke her silence on the controversy and said that they are going through the ‘toughest time’ of their lives. (Also read: FIR filed against Puja Banerjee and Kunal Verma for allegedly kidnapping and extorting money from Bengali film producer)

Puja Banerjee has reacted after she and Kunal Verma received accusations from Bengali film producer Shyam Sunder Dey.

What Puja said

Puja took to her Instagram account and wrote, “Going through the toughest time of our lives, those who are standing by us we will be forever grateful to you all. And those who believe in the lies spread against us god bless them too. I believe in God and u know GOD IS WATCHING.” In the caption, she wrote, “God is great.”

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A post shared by Puja Banerjee (@banerjeepuja)

About the allegations

Malabika shared a detailed note on her Facebook account, including claims of physical and mental assault on Shyam. "This incident is not just a serious crime, it is a betrayal and a breach of trust towards a friend. In addition to physical and mental abuse on Shyam, our entire family is suffering deep mental damage from this incident. We are tackling the legal way and have full confidence in the judicial system. I urge all creative society members to be alert," she mentioned. She said that Shyam was threatened with his involvement in a drug case if he didn't pay around ₹64 lakh.

She added that with the help of the Goa Police, Shyam was rescued safely. An FIR was filed against Puja and Kunal under Section 126(2), 137(2), 140(2), 308(2), 115(2), 351(3), 61(2) & 3(5).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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