Producer Shyam Sunder Dey’s wife, Malabika, accuses the TV actors, Puja Banerjee and Kunal Verma, of kidnapping and extorting money from the Bengali producer, reportedly, attempting to take over his property. The incident happened just a week after the couple disclosed being victims of a scam and losing their lifelong earnings. It came into light after Malabika Dey, wife of Shyam Dey, shared evidence through a viral social media post.
A FIR was filed against the couple by the Goa Police under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita(BNS).
What Happened?
The well-known television couple Puja Banerjee and Kunal Verma have been accused of kidnapping the popular Bengali producer Shyam Sunder Dey from Goa and extorting money from him. The couple allegedly attempted to take over his property.
The producer’s wife shared a post on Facebook accusing the couple of the heinous crime, providing evidence.
The Goa Police, then, filed an FIR under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita(BNS) against Puja Banerjee, Kunal Verma, and their associate Piyush Kothari. The charges listed- Sections 126(2), 137(2), 140(2), 308(2), 115(2), 351(3), 61(2), and 3(5) include serious offences such as, abduction, extraction, unlawful confinement, criminal threats and conspiracy.
Malabika Dey’s accusations
The incident became public when Shyam Sunder Dey’s wife made a detailed post on Facebook on June 14, 2025, accusing the couple of the crime, along with providing evidence. She attached WhatsApp screenshots, payment receipts, and FIR documents to the post as evidence.
In her Facebook post, she wrote, "My husband was kidnapped, held against his will, threatened, and physically assaulted by Puja Banerjee, Kunal Verma, and their influential associate Piyush Kothari over several days as part of an extortion attempt.
"While on a business trip in Goa, my husband drove a rented car when Puja and others intercepted him and forcibly took him to an undisclosed location."
"In Goa, my husband was subjected to mental torture, and they demanded Rs 64 lakh from him. They threatened to falsely accuse him of a drug case if he didn't fulfill their demand. Shyam paid Rs 23 lakh. I've saved all the receipts and transaction proofs showing the transfers made to Puja and Kunal's accounts," claimed Malabika.
She went on to add, "Shyam's mobile phones were taken by Puja and Kunal, who also forced him to reveal personal details and passwords. They made multiple video recordings, compelling him to speak as instructed. For now, he has been safely recovered with the assistance of the Goa Police, headed by the North Goa Superintendent of Police."
Is the producer safe?
As Malabika Dey shared on her Facebook post, Shyam Sunder Dey, the Bengali producer, has been safely recovered with the help of the Goa Police, led by the Superintendent of Police for North Goa. Although the producer has already suffered physical, psychological, and financial losses, the Goa police are conducting a thorough investigation and are expected to recover at least some of the financial losses.
The couple lost their savings?
A week before the incident, in a vlog, the couple revealed that they lost their life-long savings in a financial scam, though Puja didn’t reveal the exact amount.
"These last two-three months have been extremely difficult for us. We have no idea what will happen next. We have been victims of a financial scam. We lost a big amount. We lost all of our life's savings. We have to start our life from zero but we won't give up. We don't want to give up. In these tough times, all we want is your support and prayers. We have full faith in God," Puja Banerjee said in the vlog.
Contrarily, a week after they had claimed to lose their savings in a financial scam, the television couple were accused of abduction and extortion.