Hrithik Roshan and seven others have been booked for allegedly cheating a Chennai-based merchant of Rs 21 lakhs. Muralidharan of Sun Enterprises had entered into an agreement with Hrithik Roshan, one of the co-owners of HRX, to distribute the products in Tamil Nadu.
Muralidharan, in his police complaint, stated that shortly thereafter, Roshan dissolved the marketing team. There was a problem with the supply chain which eventually led to sales getting stagnated, he alleged.
The stock that could not be moved was subsequently sent back to HRX, but Muralidharan was not compensated. In his complaint, he said that he has been duped of over Rs 20 lakhs. This was promised to him as per the terms of his agreement with Hrithik Roshan and HRX.
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An official attached to the Kodungaiyur Police Station, where the complaint was filed, told Silverscreen that Muralidharan had tried filing a complaint earlier. However, it was only recently that the police registered the complaint. Subsequently, a criminal case has been booked against Hrithik Roshan under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code.
He said that Muralidharan’s claims are backed by the terms of his agreement. “He has produced them to us and on verification, we found that his claims are indeed true. So we have registered the case.”
A spokesperson for HRX said that he was not allowed to comment on the case as it was a legal issue now.
“Our legal team is investigating the issue. We are aware of the current situation and will launch proceedings based on the report of the legal team,” he said.
The company also released its statement on social media:
Issued in public interest. @hrxbrand and @iHrithik would request our customers to not believe the rumors being spread on the news.
Link: https://t.co/HamcILiljQ pic.twitter.com/VzTTuSSQZo
— HRX (@hrxbrand) August 28, 2018
HRX – a lifestyle apparel and casual wear brand – is poised on the brink of a Rs 500-crore turnover in the next three years. A case like this could have huge implications for the company that is hoping to expand its offline presence this year.
HRX is co-owned by Exceed Entertainment, and recently forayed into the fitness market. They made around Rs 100 crores from their tie-up with an online shopping portal.