NEW DELHI: Bollywood actress Preity Zinta slammed the Congress party’s Kerala unit for spreading “fake news” about her Rs 18 crore loan waiver by New India Cooperative Bank and claims that she handed over her social media accounts to the BJP.
Responding to the allegations raised by Kerala Congress, Zinta expressed shock that a political party was “promoting fake news,” clarifying that she had repaid the loan in full over a decade ago.
The controversy erupted after Congress Kerala, in a post, claimed that Preity Zinta “gave her social media accounts to BJP and got Rs 18 crore written off.”
Slamming the claim, Zinta took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote, “No, I operate my social media accounts myself, 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,” she added.
Following Zinta’s clarification, Kerala Congress acknowledged her response but doubled down on its claims, stating that the news had been shared based on media reports.
“Good to know you’re managing your own account, unlike other celebs who have handed theirs over to the notorious IT cell. Thanks for the clarification, @realpreityzinta regarding your loan position. We are glad to accept mistakes if we have made any,” Kerala Congress said in a reply.
Referring to a report from IndianCooperative.com, Kerala Congress alleged that ex-employees of the now-embattled New India Cooperative Bank had warned the RBI in 2020 about “corrupt practices” at the bank, in which Zinta’s name was mentioned along with other borrowers.
The party urged Zinta to provide proof to clear the air and “raise her voice in the interest of depositors who lost their savings.”
The RBI has placed severe restrictions on the Mumbai-based New India Cooperative Bank due to financial instability concerns.
Effective from February 13, the bank has been barred from granting loans, accepting deposits, or allowing withdrawals, leading to panic among customers. The restrictions will remain in place for six months, subject to further review by the central bank.