ED Questions Puri Jagannadh, Charmme Kaur Over Liger Funding

The Enforcement Directorate questioned filmmaker Puri Jagannadh along with actor-turned-producer Charmme Kaur throughout the day on November 18 regarding the source of the funding for the Vijay Deverakonda starrer Liger. The agency grilled them on suspected Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violations in the making of the film.

Based on a complaint lodged by Congress leader Bakka Judson in August stating that politicians have also invested money in the film, the ED began their investigation. Judson also alleged that the people who invested in the film found it to be the easiest way to convert their black money into white.

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Sources from the ED have also reportedly mentioned that the agency has got the information that crores of rupees had gone into the making of the pan-India film from foreign countries, which allegedly violate the FEMA guidelines. About 15 days ago, the agency had served notices to Jagannadh and Kaur directing them to appear before it on Thursday. According to the sources, the ED officials had questioned them regarding the source of the money behind the film and whether there were any investors from foreign countries who routed funds into its making.

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The ED officials, who suspected that several companies had transferred funds to the duo’s account, have also sought an explanation from them about who they exactly are and what was their purpose in doing the same.

Previously, both Jagannadh and Kaur had taken rounds of the ED office in the infamous money laundering case in relation to the Tollywood Drug Probe. The case dates back to July 2017, when the Telangana Excise and Prohibition Department had seized drugs worth ₹30 lakh and registered 12 cases. Huge quantities of LSD and cocaine were seized from 13 people, and it is said that the banned substances were distributed at rave parties in Goa and Hyderabad, as well as at pubs and educational institutions.

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Later, the ED began looking into the money laundering angle of the drug racket. The agency issued notices to 12 people from the Telugu film industry under the Money Laundering Act, including actors Rana Daggubati, Rakul Preet Singh, Teja, Mumaith Khan, Kaur, and Navdeep who were summoned for questioning on different dates. The ED began its inquiry on August 31, 2021 with Jagannadh followed by Kaur on September 2 that year.

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