“I have neither done ads for anyone nor endorsed, favoured or publicised anyone. The photographs being circulated were taken at a function,” he told TOI while declining to comment further on the issue.

The actor had reportedly endorsed Solar Techno Alliance (STA-Token), found guilty of illegally operating a huge Ponzi multi-level marketing scheme in the garb of crypto token, in a few promotional videos. “We will soon send a team to Mumbai to question filmstar Govinda who had attended STA’s grand function in Goa in July and promoted the company in some videos,” EOW inspector general J N Pankaj had earlier told the national daily.

Pankaj, however, clarified that the veteran actor is neither a suspect nor an accused. “If we find that his role was limited to only endorsement of the product (STAToken brand) as per their business agreement, then we will make him a witness in our case,” he added.