Businessman Raj Kundra, husband of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, faced a raid today by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation. The raids took place at around 15 locations, including Kundra’s residence in Juhu, Mumbai, in connection with the alleged production and distribution of pornographic content via mobile applications.

The ED has been investigating Kundra for months, focusing on his involvement in the operation of the now-defunct 'Hotshots' app, which was accused of streaming explicit content. The app, which was available on platforms like Apple and Google Play, was taken down after legal and public scrutiny.

According to the ED, Kundra used his company, Armsprime Media Pvt Ltd, to manage the app's operations. Armsprime is also said to have facilitated the sale of the app to Kenrin Pvt Ltd, a UK-based company that allegedly played a key role in uploading and distributing the explicit material.

The ED's case claims that aspiring actors were deceived into believing they were auditioning for web series roles, only to be coerced into filming nude or semi-nude scenes. Additionally, the police say Kundra’s phone contained WhatsApp messages indicating financial transactions linked to Kenrin, including talks about selling 119 adult films for $1.2 million.

Kundra has denied any wrongdoing, claiming he had no active role in the production of pornographic content. He asserts that he is being falsely implicated and has described himself as a "scapegoat" in the case.

Kundra’s legal troubles are not new. In 2021, he was arrested by Mumbai police in connection with a case involving obscene material but was later granted bail. The ED is also investigating his possible involvement in a crypto-ponzi scheme led by Amit Bhardwaj, the mastermind behind the Gain Bitcoin scam. Earlier this year, the ED attached assets worth ₹98 crore belonging to Kundra and his wife, Shilpa Shetty, alleging they were acquired using proceeds from illicit activities, including the Gain Bitcoin scam.