Congress’ Kerala unit challenged actress Preity Zinta to provide proof against claims that she “handed over her social media accounts to the BJP” in connection with a Rs 18 crore loan written off by the New India Co-operative Bank amid financial irregularities. They urged her to support depositors who are struggling to recover their lost funds. Zinta quickly refuted the allegations as “vile gossip,” asserting she repaid her loan a decade ago. She criticized journalist Sucheta Dalal for misinformation, emphasizing the need for accountability in media reporting and expressing her frustration over false narratives surrounding her reputation.
New Delhi:
The Congress unit in Kerala has called on actress Preity Zinta to provide evidence to counter claims that she “handed her social media accounts to the BJP” in exchange for writing off a Rs 18 crore loan. They also urged her to advocate for depositors who have lost their savings.
In a statement on X, the Kerala Congress highlighted that “depositors are rallying in the streets for their money” after the Reserve Bank of India dissolved the board of the New India Co-operative Bank on February 15 due to alleged financial misconduct. This post referenced a report indicating that a Rs 18 crore loan to Preity Zinta and others had been waived by the bank.
The actress promptly dismissed the X post as “vile gossip” and “clickbait,” asserting that she had repaid the loan in full a decade ago.
It’s good to see you’re handling your own account, unlike some other celebrities who have entrusted theirs to the infamous IT cell.
Thank you for clarifying your loan situation, @realpreityzinta. We’re open to admitting any mistakes we may have made.
We shared the news as… https://t.co/4aouqLaWue
— Congress Kerala (@INCKerala) February 25, 2025
Additionally, the party requested proof from her that the loan had indeed been settled. The post on X emphasized, “We stand by the depositors who have lost their savings.”
Further explaining their stance, the party noted that media reports suggested former bank employees had alerted the RBI back in 2020 regarding ongoing corrupt practices, which also implicated Ms. Zinta.
Ms. Zinta also took aim at Sucheta Dalal, founder of Moneylife, declaring she was done “being a bigger person.” “There is so much misinformation circulating, but I am thankful for social media and X! Throughout my career, I have witnessed respected journalists getting numerous stories completely wrong, often failing to correct or apologize for their mistakes. I have had to go to court and spent a significant amount of money fighting ongoing cases. It seems time to begin holding these journalists accountable right here for future integrity. I will be naming those who write articles without proper investigation,” she stated.
“If you don’t value my reputation, then I’m sorry, I don’t value yours @suchetadalal. Next time, please contact me to verify the truth of the story before mentioning my name. Like you, I have dedicated years to building my reputation, so if you disregard mine, I will disregard yours. I’m done trying to take the high road. This ends here,” she concluded.