Bollywood actor Preity Zinta has strongly refuted claims made by the Kerala Congress’ official social media account, which alleged that she had an Rs 18 crore loan written off by the now-collapsed New India Cooperative Bank. The claim, posted alongside a news article, accused Zinta of compromising her social media accounts in exchange for financial favours. The actor responded with a sharp rebuttal on X (formerly Twitter), dismissing the allegations as “fake news.”

“No, I operate my social media accounts myself, and shame on you for promoting FAKE NEWS! No one wrote off anything or any loan for me. I’m shocked that a political party or their representative is promoting fake news & indulging in vile gossip & click baits using my name & images. For the record, a loan was taken and FULLY PAID BACK—over 10 years ago. Hope this clarifies and helps so there are no misunderstandings in the future,” Zinta posted.

The controversy erupted after the Indian National Congress’ (INC) Kerala wing shared a screenshot of a news report titled “18 crore loan to Preity Zinta and others written off by New India Cooperative Bank.” The report referred to loans granted to several individuals, including the actor, but Zinta has categorically stated that her loan was repaid in full years ago. The bank in question collapsed last week, leaving depositors in distress as they struggle to recover their savings.

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Zinta’s response triggered a wave of reactions online. While some social media users urged her to take legal action against the Congress party for defamation, others questioned why she had not spoken out on recent national issues, such as the Manipur violence or the Hathras stampede.

A section of users rallied behind the actor, claiming that she was being unfairly targeted for her perceived political leanings. “As Preity Zinta said, things have become so cynical that you can’t even praise the PM or be Hindu now,” one user wrote. Others speculated that the allegations were politically motivated and intended to discredit her.

Meanwhile, some users sarcastically mocked the claim, with one comment reading: “Oh, what a genius move! Compromise with your social media accounts, get Rs 18 crore written off, and let the depositors enjoy the thrill of chasing their own money on the streets.” Zinta has not indicated whether she plans to take legal action against the Kerala Congress for spreading false information.