Mumbai's Bandra Police have arrested Naresh Singh, the driver of Honey Irani, actor Farhan Akhtar's mother, in connection with a fraud case involving ₹12 lakh. The case was registered on October 1st after Irani's manager, Diya Bhatia, discovered discrepancies in fuel usage records.
The investigation revealed that Naresh Singh, 35, colluded with Arun Singh, 52, an employee at a petrol pump near Bandra Lake, to siphon funds. According to reports, Naresh Singh would use fuel cards issued in Farhan Akhtar's name to pay for fuel, but instead of filling the tanks of Irani's cars, he allegedly struck a deal with Arun Singh. The petrol pump employee would give him cash in exchange for a commission. Arun Singh is currently absconding.
The fraud was uncovered when Diya Bhatia, 36, Honey Irani's manager, noticed irregularities in the fuel consumption records. She observed instances where vehicles with a 35-liter capacity were billed for 62 liters of petrol. Further investigation revealed transactions for a car that had been sold seven years prior. When questioned about the discrepancies, Naresh Singh confessed to misusing three separate cards issued in Akhtar's name.
Police investigations revealed that Naresh Singh had obtained the fuel cards from Farhan Akhtar's former driver in 2022. Instead of using the cards for fuel, he would swipe them at the SV Road petrol pump in Bandra, where Arun Singh allegedly provided him with cash ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹1,500 per swipe. The duo manipulated records by inflating fuel quantities and creating transactions for vehicles no longer owned by the family, allowing them to split the siphoned money.
During interrogation, Naresh Singh admitted to his involvement in the scam, confessing that he used fraudulent transactions to pocket cash. The Bandra police have booked Naresh Singh and Arun Singh under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 316(2) (criminal breach of trust), 318(4), and 3(5).
The case highlights how the misuse of corporate or personal fuel cards can lead to significant financial losses if not properly monitored.
