Mumbai Police have uncovered a fraud worth ₹12 lakh involving misuse of fuel cards issued in the name of Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar. The case has been registered against Naresh Singh (35), driver of Farhan Akhtar’s mother Honey Irani, and Arun Singh (52), an employee of a petrol station near Bandra Lake.
The accused allegedly siphoned money by swiping fuel cards without dispensing petrol, converting the fraudulent transactions into cash.
Discovery of the Scam
The fraud surfaced when Honey Irani’s manager, Diya Bhatia (36), noticed unusual entries in the fuel usage records. Vehicles with a 35-litre capacity were billed for 62 litres of petrol, while records showed purchases for a car that had been sold seven years earlier.
On questioning, Naresh Singh failed to justify the discrepancies and admitted to using three separate cards issued in Akhtar’s name.
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How the Fraud Worked
Investigations revealed that Naresh Singh obtained the fuel cards from Farhan Akhtar’s former driver in 2022. Instead of filling petrol, he would swipe the cards at the SV Road petrol pump in Bandra, where co-accused Arun Singh allegedly handed him cash ranging between ₹1,000 and ₹1,500 per swipe.
The duo manipulated the records by inflating fuel quantities and creating transactions for vehicles no longer owned by the family. This allowed both to split the siphoned money while keeping the card bills hidden under routine expenses.
Confession and Charges Filed
During interrogation, Naresh Singh confessed to his role in the fraud, admitting that he used bogus transactions to pocket cash. Police have booked him and Arun Singh under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 316(2) (criminal breach of trust), 318(4), and 3(5).
The case highlights how internal misuse of corporate or personal fuel cards can lead to large-scale financial losses if left unchecked.
