Businessman duped in Raj Kapoor's name

Event organiser allegedly cheated victim of Rs 4 lakh by offering to put together a show in memory of the Bollywood dream merchant

Raj Kapoor directed and starred in Shree 420, a film that retains its magic to this day. A film that, perhaps, inspired event organiser Rumil Kapoor to cheat south  Delhi-based businessman Naveen Raheja of R4 lakh. The businessman says Rumil took the money from him on the pretext of organising a show in the memory of the Bollywood dream merchant. 

The accused allegedly took the money in advance but did not organise any event. The harassed businessman finally got an FIR registered against the event organiser on March 30 at Saket Police Station in south Delhi.

Awara hoon: A poster from Raj Kapoor's film Shree 420. Rumil had told

the victim that he would organise the show 'Jeena Yahan' at Satya Sai 

Auditorium at Lodi Road in February 2010.

The victim Naveen Raheja, managing director of Raheja Dvelopers, is a big fan of the late Raj Kapoor. Rumil Kapoor, the accused, met him for the first time in November 2009. "Rumil told us that he is organising a show 'Jeena Yahan' to pay tribute to Raj Kapoor. He asked us to be the principal sponsor of the event. 

Rumil also showed them a few CDs of some events in which he called Bollywood personalities," said the victim.

Rumil allegedly promised Raheja that family members of Raj Kapoor will attend the event and also showed them acceptance letters of a few actors.  

"He showed us letters of Ranbir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor and Prem Chopra in which they had expressed their willingness to attend the function. Naveen then agreed to be the principal sponsor of the event and demanded Rs 8 Lakh. 

A deal was struck and Rs 4 lakh was paid in advance. Rumil had told us then that the event would be organised in December 2009 but he kept postponing the date. Later on we came to know that he was not organising any show and refused to refund our money," said Amit Asthena, the legal manger of Raheja Developers.  

According to Asthena, Rumil had told them that the event would be organised on 13th of December 2009 at Pragati Maidan. They asked him to organise it in an indoor stadium. Rumil then told them that he would organise the show at Satya Sai Auditorium at Lodi Road in February 2010. 

But then he started avoiding them. "Rumil was avoiding us saying that the film actors who were supposed to attend the event were not giving him any dates. He kept postponing the dates till December 2010 and then he stopped taking our phone calls. We then decided to approach the police," said Asthena.

Meanwhile, a senior police official said that they have lodged a case of cheating against Rumil Kapoor and are looking into the matter. "Rumil is the CEO of Rumil Art Group. He has his office in Subhash Nagar area. Police is yet to take action against him," he said.

The Other Side

Meanwhile, speaking with MiD DAY Rumil said that he has not committed any crime. He also said that he has been organising events for the past 27 years. "They gave me fifty per cent of the money and they wanted to postpone the show. Police is hand-in-glove with them. This is a civil suit not a criminal case. Police have been bribed to an file FIR against me," said Rumil.