Soubin Shahir did not invest his own money in Manjummel Boys; Rs 7 crore financial fraud alleged, chargesheet filed

KOCHI: A special investigation team has filed a chargesheet in the alleged financial fraud case linked to the Malayalam blockbuster Manjummel Boys. Actor Soubin Shahir, his father Babu Shahir, and Shawn Antony have been named as accused in the case. The complaint alleges that the accused received Rs 7 crores from an investor by promising 40% of the movie's profits, but subsequently defrauded him by failing to return either the profit share or the invested capital. The case originated from a complaint filed in the Ernakulam Magistrate's Court by Siraj Valiyaveettil, a native of Aroor.

In his complaint, Siraj alleged that the accused did not invest their own money in the production of the film. Instead, they used the Rs 7 crore received from him to finance the project. Released in 2024, Manjummel Boys became a massive commercial success and generated significant revenue. The complainant alleged that neither the investment amount nor the agreed profit share was paid back despite the film's massive success. A special team of the Crime Branch investigated the case and submitted the chargesheet. The accused have been charged with offences including criminal breach of trust, cheating and conspiracy.

Babu Shahir had approached courts, including the Supreme Court of India, seeking to have the case quashed. However, the courts dismissed the plea. The accused had argued that there was no breach of trust and that the money received had already been repaid. The financial dealings related to Manjummel Boys were also subject to a preliminary inquiry by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).