Television and film actor Karan Hukku has been booked for cheating by selling a fake watch for ₹7 lakh, as a film producer and garment trader, Mohammad Salim Farooqui, has lodged a first information report (FIR) against him at the Azad Maidan police station.The acquaintance between Hukku and 48-year-old Mohammed Salim Abdul Kuddus Farooqui, who owns a production unit named Saif Entertainment and engaged in garment trading, was established in 2016 at a gym, news reports said.“Soon, the duo got acquainted. Then, Farooqui even purchased a gold ring from Hukku, and he was satisfied with the purchase. By this, Hukku gained the confidence of the complainant,” a police officer from the Azad Maidan Police Station told the news outlet Hindustan Times.Farooqui detailed in his complaint that Hukku, a resident of Yari Road, Versova, had shown him images of Panerai company watches on WhatsApp, asserting that he had sourced them directly from the company. Hukku proposed a price of ₹7 lakh for the watch which caught Farooquis interest.After agreeing, Farooqui bought the watch from Hukku, who pledged to address any potential defects. However, upon consulting an expert, Farooqui realized that the watch was a counterfeit Panerai worth a meagre ₹10,000.“I kept the watch at home and later decided to sell it. When I decided to sell it, I came to know that it was a duplicate one,” the complaint filed by Farooqui said.Cheating accused Karan Hukku blocked victim when confronted about fake watch: FIRDespite Hukku initially assuring a refund upon being confronted about the imitation, he eventually blocked Farooquis contact without returning the money.“Hukku told Farooqi that he will soon come to Mumbai and then return his money. However, later Hukku started avoiding him,” the police officer said.Hukku has been booked under section 420 (cheating) of the IPC. “We have served him a notice under section 41 A of the CrPC Notice of Appearance before a police officer to join us in investigations,” the police officer confirmed.The accused Karan Hukkus acting credits include film roles in Kya Love Story Hai (2007) and Trick (2013), in addition to his roles in television series like Sajda Tere Pyar Mein, Tera Mujhse Hai Pehle Ka Nata Koi, and Ghar Ki Laxmi Betiyan.
