GECs
Kapil Dev to do a cameo for Sony’s ‘CID’
MUMBAI: Former cricketer and MAX brand ambassador Kapil Dev will be seen in Sony Television’s detective series CID sometime in mid-October.
Telecast on Fridays at 10:30 pm, CID is one of Sony’s best selling shows produced by BP Singh and Pradeep Uppoor.
According to industry sources, Dev portrays a murder suspect in his two-episode role. The 80s all-rounder has agreed to do the cameo as a one-off stint and a part of his obligations as brand ambassador of Sony.
The production house says that Dev was roped in for the role because they wanted an international icon with tremendous mass following. They also said they were impressed with his anchoring capabilities in Kapil Dil Se and thought that he fitted the bill.
In the episodic story, Dev gets mixed up in the murder of a man found dead behind the golf course where he is playing. The bullet in the dead man’s body is analysed to have been shot from gun found in Dev’s golf bag. Coincidentally, the murdered man’s mobile also reveals that he had made a call to Dev, minutes before dying.
In the ensuing CID grilling, Dev is expected to act like an angry, defiant celebrity defending himself against accusations.
With similar bitter experience in the past Dev seemed ideal for the role, production team say.
Dev has about 12 scenes in the whole story. The episodes have been shot at Royal Palms (Goregaon) and Jucaso Mills (Sakinaka). From the famous ‘Palmolive da jawaab nahi’ to a television cameo, may be the ace cricketer-turned pro-golfer might want to switch lanes again!
GECs
Sebi sends show-cause notice to Zee over fund diversion, company responds
Regulator questions 2018 letter of comfort and governance lapses; company vows robust legal response
MUMBAI: India’s markets watchdog has reignited its long-running scrutiny of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, issuing a sweeping show-cause notice that drags the broadcaster and 84 others into a widening governance storm.
The notice, dated February 12, has been served by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to Zee, chairman emeritus Subhash Chandra and managing director and chief executive Punit Goenka, among others. At its heart: allegations that company funds were indirectly routed to settle liabilities of entities linked to the Essel Group.
The regulator’s probe traces its roots to November 2019, when two independent directors resigned from Zee’s board, flagging concerns over the alleged appropriation of fixed deposits by Yes Bank. The deposits were reportedly adjusted against loans extended to Essel Group entities, triggering questions about related-party dealings and board oversight.
A key flashpoint is a letter of comfort dated September 4, 2018, issued by Subhash Chandra in his dual capacity as chairman of Zee and the Essel Group. The document, linked to credit facilities availed by certain group companies from Yes Bank, was allegedly known only to select members of management and not disclosed to the full board—an omission SEBI believes raises red flags over transparency and governance controls.
Zee has pushed back hard. In a statement, the company said it “strongly refutes” the allegations against it and its board members and will file a detailed response. It expressed confidence that SEBI would conduct a fair review and signalled readiness to pursue all legal remedies to protect shareholder interests.
The notice marks the latest twist in a saga that has shadowed the broadcaster since 2019. What began as boardroom unease has morphed into a full-blown regulatory confrontation. The final reckoning now rests with SEBI—but the reputational stakes for Zee, and the message for India Inc on governance discipline, could scarcely be higher.
