A 34-year-old actor and producer has approached the police in Maharashtra’s Sangli district alleging that he was cheated of Rs 40 lakh by composer and filmmaker Palaash Muchhal, prompting a preliminary inquiry by local authorities. Police officials confirmed on Thursday that no FIR has been registered in the matter so far, and the complaint is currently at the application stage.
The complainant, Vidnyan Mane, a resident of Sangli, submitted an application to the Superintendent of Police earlier this week, seeking the registration of an FIR against Muchhal. An official said the police are examining the details mentioned in the complaint as part of an initial probe, following which a decision will be taken on the next course of action. Palaash has now reacted to the complaint against him.
What was the complaint against Palaash Muchhal?
According to the application submitted to the police, Palaash Muchhal and Vidnyan Mane first met in Sangli on December 5, 2023. The complaint states that Mane expressed interest in investing in film production. Muchhal suggested that he could come on board as a producer for his upcoming project titled Nazaria.
As per the allegations, Muchhal told Mane that an investment of Rs 25 lakh would fetch him a profit of Rs 12 lakh after the film’s release on OTT platforms, and also offered him a role in the project. The two reportedly met twice after this, and Mane has alleged that he paid a total of Rs 40 lakh to Muchhal by March 2025, as per PTI.
The complaint further claims that the project was not completed, and when Mane demanded his money back, he allegedly received no response, following which he decided to approach the Sangli police. An official confirmed that the matter is under preliminary verification at this stage.
How did Palaash Muchhal clarify?
Amid the allegations, Palaash Muchhal issued a public clarification on his Instagram story, firmly denying the claims made against him. In his statement, he wrote, “In light of the allegations made by Sangli-based Vidnyan Mane on social media, I wish to state that these claims against me are entirely baseless and factually incorrect. They have been made with malicious intent to tarnish my reputation, and they will not go unchallenged. My lawyer, Shreyansh Mithare, is exploring all legal avenues, and this matter will be dealt with strictly through the appropriate legal channels.”
Police officials reiterated that no FIR has been registered so far and that the inquiry is still at an early stage, as the allegations involving Palash Muchhal continue to be examined with due legal process.
For those unversed, Palaash Muchhal was set to marry Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana in November. Their pre-wedding festivities were going on in full swing. However, soon after, they called off their wedding, and announced that they have decided to move on in their respective lives.
Also read: Palaash Muchhal deletes proposal video with Smriti Mandhana after wedding gets called off