New Delhi: Vaibhav Pandya, the stepbrother of Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya, has been sent to the custody of the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on charges of fraud amounting to ₹ 4.3 crore. The case was filed against him by his brothers Hardik and Krunal Pandya.Hardik Pandya, known for his explosive batting and all-round abilities, lodged a complaint against his stepbrother, accusing him of fraud and deceitful practices. The allegations revolve around financial discrepancies within a partnership firm established by the trio in 2021.According to the complaint, the Pandya brothers, along with Vaibhav, ventured into the polymer business, with each sibling having a defined stake in the enterprise. Hardik and Krunal were to contribute 40 per cent each to the capital, while Vaibhav’s share stood at 20 per cent. The arrangement stipulated that profits would be distributed among the partners in proportion to their investments.However, it has come to light that Vaibhav allegedly diverted profits from the partnership firm into his personal accounts, thereby diminishing the returns due to Hardik and Krunal. He also increased his profit share to 33.3 per cent secretly, resulting in substantial losses for the other Pandya brothers.The situation escalated when Vaibhav allegedly transferred funds from the partnership account to another company without the knowledge or consent of his brothers, exacerbating the financial strain on Hardik and Krunal’s business interests. They suffered a loss of nearly ₹ 4.3 crore.
