Sonu Sood's controversies: A look beyond the philanthropy

Sonu Soon has faced several controversaries in the past

Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has been in the industry for years, but earned recognition as a philanthropist during the COVID-19 pandemic for his tireless efforts to assist stranded migrants and the underprivileged. However, he has recently been in the headlines, but not for good reasons. He sparked various controversies involving legal issues, tax inquiries, road safety violations, and backlash on social media. Here’s a closer look at the events that have shifted the focus on the actor.

Road safety concern

A video showed shirtless Sonu Sood riding a black Royal Enfield motorcycle without a helmet on the scenic yet dangerous roads of Spiti Valley. The video instantly went viral and sparked outrage online. Several social media users criticised him for riding the bike without a helmet.

He shouts out on every video that he is a professional biker.

2 kaudi ki etiquette nahin hai and 1 kaudi ka paisa bhi nahin hoyega else why will a professional biker be without a helmet Damn Chapris.#HimachalPradesh#mountains#Riderspic.twitter.com/ShPW2c4NCE — Sidharth Shukla (@sidhshuk) May 26, 2025

The Spiti Police started an investigation into the viral video, believed to have been filmed in 2023. Officials stressed the importance of safety rules, particularly in mountainous areas with unpredictable weather and road conditions. In response, Sonu explained that the video was part of a scripted shoot, not an actual motorcycle ride.

Fraud case

A court in Ludhiana recently issued an arrest warrant for Sonu Sood related to a fraud case. He was called in as a witness, not a suspect, in a case involving a fake cryptocurrency scam called the Rajika coin.

However, his failure to attend court led judicial magistrate Amanpreet Kaur to order his arrest. Sonu later spoke out, stating that his role had been misrepresented and sensationalised, reiterating that he had no connection with those involved.

The actor’s legal team has committed to cooperating fully and appeared in court to provide clarification.

Kanwar Yatra controversy

Sonu Sood found himself in another controversy, this time related to the Kanwar Yatra. During the religious pilgrimage in Uttar Pradesh, the state required food shop owners along the route to display their names for accountability.

Around the same time, a video surfaced of a vendor allegedly spitting on rotis while making them, which caused outrage on social media.

Sonu Sood reacted to the video on X (formerly Twitter), expressing his disgust at such actions but also encouraging people to show humanity while addressing the problem. His comments led to criticism, with some accusing him of being too lenient. Sonu replied with a controversial reference to a religious story involving Lord Ram, which further divided public opinion and received backlash even from Kangana Ranaut.

Income Tax raids

The Income Tax Department conducted large-scale raids on Sonu Sood's properties in various cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur, Kanpur, and Lucknow. The department accused him of evading over Rs 20 crore in taxes and misusing charitable funds.

Officials stated that the SOOD Charity Foundation had raised Rs 18.94 crore but spent only Rs 1.90 crore on relief efforts, with the rest remaining unspent.

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Additionally, the foundation reportedly received Rs 2.10 crore from foreign sources, allegedly violating FCRA regulations. The department also claimed Sonu was involved in circular transactions and bogus contracts to avoid taxes through connected companies.

However, the actor later clarified that every rupee raised was meant for humanitarian efforts and claimed full transparency regarding his foundation’s operations.