Puja Banerjee, a well-known face in Indian television and cinema, has finally spoken up after days of unsettling allegations. The actress, caught in a legal storm along with husband Kunal Verma, turned to social media to express her heartbreak and frustration. In a deeply personal Instagram post, Puja poured out her emotions, describing this phase as one of the darkest in their lives. “Going through the toughest time of our lives. To those who are standing by us. we will be forever grateful. And to those who believe in the lies being spread against us, God bless them too. I believe in God, and you know. GOD IS WATCHING,” she wrote.
The controversy began when Bengali film producer Shyam Sunder Dey lodged serious allegations against the couple. He claimed that Puja and Kunal kidnapped him in Goa, extorted ₹23 lakh, and subjected him to threats and violence. What made the claims even more jarring was Dey’s statement that Puja was like a sister to him, and the betrayal stung far worse than the crime itself.
According to Dey, the incident took a terrifying turn when Kunal, accompanied by a group of men, allegedly assaulted him in Puja’s presence. His phone was confiscated, and another device was handed over, meant solely for transferring the extorted sum. Dey maintioned that he was held captive and subjected to both physical intimidation and financial threats.
The ordeal reportedly ended when Dey’s wife, Malabika Dey, grew suspicious and contacted the police on June 4. In a desperate act, Dey managed to use the spare phone to send out his live location and a video recorded discreetly inside a bathroom, giving authorities crucial evidence to track him down.
After Dey’s rescue, an FIR was filed against Puja Banerjee and Kunal Verma under multiple sections of the newly introduced Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges included abduction, extortion, wrongful confinement, and criminal intimidation. The timing of these accusations raised even more eyebrows, as they came shortly after the couple publicly shared that they had been victims of a massive financial fraud themselves. Though they avoided naming anyone in their statement, many speculated a link between both incidents.
Soon after, Malabika Dey took to Facebook to voice her anguish. In a hard-hitting post, she labelled the episode a grave breach of trust. Her post further revealed that the threats didn’t stop with money. She alleged that Shyam was warned he would be framed in a fabricated drug case if he refused to pay an additional ₹64 lakh. These chilling claims deepened the shock within the industry and among fans.
Puja and Kunal, meanwhile, have maintained a conspicuous silence about the specifics of the accusations. Except for Puja’s emotional message on Instagram, the couple has refrained from any detailed public response or media interactions.
