Film producer and Pearl Group chief Ronnie Rodrigues has lodged a police complaint alleging that chartered accountants Kazi & Associates engaged in GST-related irregularities affecting several of his companies.
The complaint cites forged signatures, unauthorized use of former directors’ names and inclusion of the firm’s name in a partnership that never listed it as a partner, along with discrepancies in statutory filings.
Entities mentioned include Pearl Business Consultant, PBC Motion Pictures Pvt. Ltd., PBC Education & Financial Services Pvt. Ltd., Cinebuster Magazine Pvt. Ltd., PBC Forex Pvt. Ltd., PBC Interior & Designers Pvt. Ltd. and the Pearl Business Consultant Partnership Firm.
At a press conference in Mumbai, Rodrigues said Imran Abdul Kazi and Javed Abdul Kazi of the firm were involved in the alleged financial and compliance lapses.
He presented documents he said showed GST compliance gaps and errors in official records, noting that directors who resigned in 2021 and 2023 still appeared in GST filings without consent.
Rodrigues’ lawyer, Advocate Sudhakar Mishra, confirmed an FIR has been filed in Thane under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. A separate complaint was also sent to senior officials at Santacruz Police Station. The filing outlines the alleged missteps in detail.
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The dispute has delayed the start of Rodrigues’ Hindi film Maine Pyar Kiya Phir Se, starring Arbaaz Khan. The project’s muhurat ceremony, attended by veteran actor Dharmendra, was held months ago.
He said a GST officer’s inquiry prompted an internal review of the accounting firm’s records, which then revealed multiple irregularities in GST filings and compliance procedures.
Similar conflicts have arisen when outdated director information remains on tax filings, often triggering regulatory probes. In such cases, production schedules may suffer as companies scramble to rectify paperwork. Such discrepancies may lead to audits by tax authorities.
According to the complaint, the firm has serviced the Pearl Group since 2013, handling statutory compliance, GST returns, income-tax matters, audits and financial record-keeping. The filing notes allege that copies of several returns and statutory documents were never handed to the companies after submission to authorities.
Police are expected to examine the submitted documents as the case moves through the legal process. The allegations remain under investigation.
