Mumbai: Mumbai police have registered a fraud case against Akshay Bardapurkar, the owner of the entertainment company Planet Marathi, and several associates namely, Manali Dixit, Dhaval Shah, Dodha Ahire, and others. The complaint, filed by a former business partner, Soumya Aniruddha Vilekar, 52, alleges a fraud of Rs 85 lakh.
Film Producer Alleges Forgery to Exclude Her from Planet Marathi Partnership
According to the FIR, Vilekar, a film and television producer, was previously a coowner of Planet Marathi. She has alleged that forged documents, including a fake “Deed of Admission cum Retirement,” were created to remove her name from the partnership and misrepresent her role.
These documents were allegedly used to secure loans amounting to Rs85 lakh from Axis Bank and Deutsche Bank without her knowledge or consent. Vilekar, a resident of Valentine Runwal Anthurium on LBS Road, Mulund (W), joined Planet Marathi in 2017, when the company was primarily producing videos for a YouTube channel, and Bardapurkar, 45, a resident of Marigold Exotica, Mulund (W), was the original owner of the company.
According to her complaint, She was actively involved in company operations and had invested in the company between 2017 and 2019, eventually becoming an official partner.
In April 2019, Bardapurkar and Vilekar jointly opened Planet Marathi’s office in Mulund, and the companyproduced several Marathi films including AB ani CD and Goshta Eka Paithanichi.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, operations were temporarily halted.
Planet Marathi Seller Services Ltd Incorporated With Vilekar and Son as Directors
On July 20, 2020, a new company named Planet Marathi Seller Services Ltd was incorporated with Vilekar and her son Anitya listed as directors, and Bardapurkar as the founder.
The company later expanded into the OTT space, developing an app and producing web series. Manali Dixit, 40, worked as a talent manager for the company during this time. However, as the business scaled, internal conflicts grew. Bardapurkar allegedly began interfering in content deals and increasing operational costs, which strained the company’s finances.
To sustain the business, loans worth Rs60 lakh were taken for the new venture, and an additional Rs50 lakh for Planet Marathi. All banking operations were solely under Bardapurkar’s control.
Vilekar later discovered that Bardapurkar had also borrowed money from investors on behalf of Planet Marathi Seller Services Ltd, but instead of investing it into the company, had allegedly used it for personal gain.
