Bollywood actress Preity Zinta has strongly bashed veteran journalist Sucheta Dalal for spreading false information linking her to the New India Co-operative Bank scam, demanding an apology from those who amplified the baseless claims. Preity Zinta took to social media to clear her name, emphasizing that she has no connection to the Rs 122 crore bank fraud and calling for greater accountability in journalism.
The controversy erupted when a Twitter account associated with Congress Kerala claimed that Preity Zinta had handed over control of her social media accounts to the BJP in exchange for an Rs 18 crore loan write-off, allegedly contributing to the collapse of the New India Co-operative Bank. The claim soon gained traction, with several sources citing journalist Sucheta Dalal, known for her investigative reporting, as one of those who had shared or endorsed the misinformation. However, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), which is investigating the missing Rs 122 crore, later issued a clarification stating that Preity Zinta’s name was not part of their probe and that she had no involvement in the financial scandal.
Preity Zinta’s Strong Rebuttal
Enraged by the false reports, Preity Zinta took to Twitter and other social media platforms to express her frustration, stating: “No, I operate my social media accounts myself, and shame on you for promoting fake news! No loan or write-off was ever issued in my name. Any loan taken was fully repaid over 10 years ago.” She further called for action against irresponsible journalism, tagging the Press Council of India (@PressCouncil_IN) and demanding consequences for spreading unverified claims.
“A lot of people wanted proof about a Fake news story peddled as news by @suchetadalal. Here it is ⬇️ Now should the Press Council of India take note of such journalists & what should her punishment be? Also, I need an apology from everyone that carried this story without any verification for irreparably damaging my reputation & mentally torturing me! After all, journalism should be about integrity & accountability & not an excuse for laziness & harassment. I rest my case.”
A lot of people wanted proof about a Fake news story peddled as news by @suchetadalal . Here it is ⬇️ Now should the press council of India @PressCouncil_IN take note of such journalists & what should her punishment be ? Also I need an apology from everyone that carried this… https://t.co/7WVMI7OcXG
— Preity G Zinta (@realpreityzinta) February 27, 2025
EOW’s Stand and Further Developments
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW), which is investigating the scam, distanced itself from the allegations against Preity Zinta, stating that they had not found any link between her and the missing funds.
The investigation into the New India Co-operative Bank scam has so far led to the arrests of key figures, including Hitesh Mehta (prime accused), SRA developer Dharmesh Paun, and former CEO Abhimanyu Bhoan. According to sources, Mehta confessed to transferring a significant sum to the bank’s former senior executive, who is currently absconding. The fraud came to light when an RBI inspection on February 12 discovered that Rs 122 crore was missing from the bank’s vaults. Further scrutiny revealed that the vaults at Prabhadevi and Goregaon branches lacked the capacity to hold such an amount, raising questions about misreported cash reserves.