Dehradun: An actress and daughter of former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has filed a complaint alleging that a couple, who are film producers, defrauded her of ₹4 crore. The complaint was lodged by actress and producer Aarushi Nishank against producers Mansi and Varun Bagla. 

Aarushi, whose father was also a former Union minister, stated that the couple approached her to invest in their upcoming film starring Vikrant Massey and Shanaya Kapoor. They promised that if she invested ₹5 crore, she would be offered a lead role in the film along with 20% of the profits. They convinced her that the profit alone would amount to approximately ₹15 crore. They further assured her that if she was dissatisfied with her role in the film, her investment would be returned with 15% interest. An agreement was signed between them in October 2024, and the very next day, ₹2 crore was collected from her. Within a few days, additional funds were taken. In total, the accused received around ₹4 crore from her in various instalments, according to the complaint.

However, Aarushi alleged that the producers had not even finalised the script of the film. She also claimed that she was removed from the film and her role was given to another actress. The complaint further stated that the producers deliberately excluded her from a group photo of the film crew shared on social media, causing her humiliation. When she demanded her money back, the accused allegedly threatened her and her family. Aarushi also accused the couple of making casteist remarks against her.

Dehradun City SP Pramod Kumar confirmed that a case has been registered, including charges of fraud based on Aarushi's complaint. He stated that the agreement signed by both parties is under review and that the investigation is ongoing.