Preity Zinta Denies Rs 18 Crore Loan Write-Off Rumors; Clarifies She Repaid

Preity Zinta vehemently denies allegations of an Rs 18 crore loan write-off, labeling the claims as completely baseless. The actress issued a strong statement refuting the speculation, emphasizing that there is no truth to the reports.

The controversy erupted after a financial publication uncovered significant financial irregularities and alleged corruption within the New India Cooperative Bank Ltd. The exposé revealed that large corporate loans, exceeding Rs 25 crore, were approved without informing branch managers, raising concerns about internal oversight. Many of these loans reportedly became non-performing assets (NPAs) within a year, allegedly due to mismanagement and diversion of funds, prompting the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to take strict action against the bank's operations.

One of the most prominent cases in the controversy involved an alleged Rs 18 crore loan to Preity Zinta. According to the report, the loan was supposedly "written off" without following standard recovery procedures.

More than 12 years ago, I had an overdraft facility with the New India Cooperative Bank. More than 10 years ago, I repaid in full the entire dues in respect of this overdraft facility, and the account stands closed

- Preity Zinta

Preity Zinta also wrote on X, “No I operate my social media accounts my self and shame on you for promoting FAKE NEWS ! No one wrote off anything or any loan for me. I’m shocked that a political party or their representative is promoting fake news & indulging in vile gossip & click baits using my name & images. For the record a loan was taken and FULLY PAID BACK – over 10 years ago. Hope this clarifies and helps so there are no misunderstandings in the future."

The report also claims that in 2019, over 80 senior staff members were allegedly forced to resign, fueling concerns about the bank's internal operations. Frustrated employees reportedly appealed to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for intervention, demanding a thorough audit, the removal of the bank's board of directors, and even the recovery of losses from the personal assets of those responsible.

Shifting focus to Preity Zinta, the actress recently made an appearance at the Maha Kumbh. She shared a picture from Prayagraj on Instagram, captioning it, "All roads lead to the Maha Kumbh. Satyam Shivam Sundaram."

On the work front, Preity is set to make a highly anticipated return to Bollywood with Rajkumar Santoshi's "Lahore 1947," produced by Aamir Khan Productions. The film, also starring Sunny Deol, Shabana Azmi, Ali Fazal, and Karan Deol, marks her comeback after a significant break from acting.