Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, Wife Arrested by Udaipur Police in ₹30-Crore Cheating Case

The Udaipur Police on Sunday arrested filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari Bhatt from Mumbai in connection with an alleged ₹30 crore cheating and fraud case registered in Rajasthan, officials said.

According to police, Bhatt, his wife, and six others are accused of defrauding Dr. Ajay Murdia, founder of the Indira Group of Companies. Two other accused had already been arrested earlier.

Background of the Case

A police official said that Dr. Murdia, who operates the Indira IVF Hospital chain, had planned to produce a biopic on his late wife. He alleged that the Bhatts and others assured him that the film would earn ₹200 crore, but no progress was made, prompting him to file an FIR at the Bhopalpura police station in Udaipur.

Subsequently, a probe was launched, and a team of Udaipur Police detained the couple from Mumbai on Sunday.

Agreement of 2024 and Alleged Fraud

Police investigations reveal:

• In May 2024, an agreement was signed between Dr. Murdia and the Bhatts to produce four films, including the biopic.

• The total deal was valued at ₹47 crore.

• While two projects were reportedly completed, the remaining films were never made.

According to investigators, the accused allegedly siphoned off funds by:

• Creating fake vendor bills,

• inflating vouchers and salary slips,

• Preparing forged documents and verifying them as genuine.

Police estimate the fraudulent amount to be around ₹30 crore.

Transit Remand Granted

Later in the evening, Udaipur Police secured transit remand of the couple until December 9, allowing them to transport the accused by road from Mumbai to Udaipur for interrogation and legal proceedings.

Defence Alleges Illegal Arrest

The couple’s lawyers, Rakesh Singh and Sanjay Singh, accused the Rajasthan Police of high-handedness. They claimed:

• The arrest was made without proper permission,

• Grounds of arrest were not clearly communicated,

• The couple was allegedly threatened and forced to sign a document without a date or time,

• Police warned of torture in Rajasthan if they refused to sign.

The court heard arguments from both sides before granting the transit remand.

Complainant’s Allegations

Dr. Murdia claims he was induced with false guarantees of huge profits from film production. An acquaintance allegedly introduced him to the accused, who then presented a proposal to create the biopic.

A preliminary investigation indicates the entire plan was crafted to deceive the complainant, police said.