Vaibhav Pandya, the stepbrother of cricketer Hardik Pandya, was taken into custody by the Mumbai Police’s Economic Offence Wing (EOW) for allegedly duping the Pandya siblings (Hardik and Krunal) in a business deal totaling more than ₹4 crore.
On April 10, authorities made the arrest based on claims that Vaibhav misappropriated nearly ₹4.3 crore from their joint venture, resulting in huge financial losses for both Hardik and Krunal. The trio initiated a polymer business collaboration in 2021 with agreed terms.
However, Vaibhav Pandya violated the agreed-upon distribution ratio among the three and clandestinely established a separate company, leading to a decline in profits within their partnership agreement.
Upon receiving a complaint regarding this matter, authorities arrested him on charges of cheating and forgery, with his actions purportedly resulting in a loss of ₹3 crore to the original partnership.
How is Vaibhav Pandya Related to Hardik Pandya?
Vaibhav Pandya’s exact connection with Hardik and Krunal remains unclear; however, he appears to have shared a close relationship with their late father, Himanshu Pandya, whom he lovingly addressed as ‘Papa.’ Additionally, he has an elder brother named Gauraw Pandya.