An FIR has been registered by Goa Police against Sussanne Khan, ex-wife of Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan, for allegedly cheating a real estate firm by "posing" as an architect.
However, Sussanne has dubbed the allegations against her as "false" and "defamatory" and a pressure tactic by the firm.
"The case was registered against Sussanne Khan on June 9 after the real estate firm lodged a complaint against her. The firm has claimed that she cheated them by posing as an architect through her firm 'The Charcoal Project'," police inspector Siddhanth Shirodkar told PTI today.
She has been booked under section 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of IPC.
'The Charcoal Project' is a Mumbai-based interior design store set up by Sussanne.
As pat of the investigation, police have sought documents from Sussanne's address in suburban Andheri in Mumbai.
The complaint was lodged by Emgee Properties alleging that Sussanne claimed herself as an architect to secure a contract to design its building in Panaji in 2013.
Company's Managing Director Mudith Gupta has mentioned in the complaint that his firm signed a contract for Rs 1.87 crore with Sussanne.
The complaint stated that she failed to submit the requisite design in a stipulated period of time and that the designs submitted by her were not of professional standards.
Sussanne, presently in London, rubbished the allegations in a statement today.
"The said complaint is motivated and preposterous and has been only filed to intimidate me and pressurise me to withdraw the arbitration proceedings initiated by me in the first instance to recover my dues and damages resulting from the breach of contract," she said.
As per the statement, Sussanne has challenged the termination of the contract and has invoked arbitration under the contract for recovery of her dues from the firm.
"As a counter-blast to the said proceedings, Mudhit Gupta, with the only intention to harass and pressurise me to give into his frivolous counter-claim, initiated the criminal complaint," she was quoted as saying.
Sussanne denied any "misrepresentations" while stating that she maintains the highest standards of ethics in discharge of her work.
The statement said that Sussanne intends to take the arbitral proceedings to the logical conclusion and will give a befitting response to the complaint.
"Such complaints do not scare me rather it encourages me to stand up for the truth. The allegations in complaints are false and defamatory. I will take appropriate proceedings in accordance with law," she added.
