Bollywood filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari have landed in serious legal trouble after being arrested in connection with an alleged ₹30 crore fraud case. The couple was recently sent to judicial custody after a court denied them interim bail on medical grounds, following seven days in police custody.
According to investigators, the case revolves around Udaipur-based doctor Dr Ajay Murdia, founder of the Indira Group of Companies, who accused Bhatt, his wife, and six others of cheating him on the pretext of producing films. Police say Dr Murdia entered into a ₹47 crore agreement with the accused in May 2024 to produce four films, including a biopic on his late wife. He was allegedly promised returns worth nearly ₹200 crore.
As per the complaint, while two films were reportedly made, the remaining two never went into production. The doctor later discovered serious financial irregularities linked to the project. Police claim the accused generated fake bills in the names of non-existent vendors, inflated salary vouchers, and fabricated documents to siphon off around ₹30 crore from the invested amount.
Vikram Bhatt and his wife were arrested in Mumbai on December 7 and brought to Udaipur by the Rajasthan Police the next day. They were produced before an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, who initially remanded them to police custody for further questioning. After the custody period ended, the court ordered judicial custody, and the couple is now lodged at the Central Jail in Udaipur.
A senior police official stated that the investigation is ongoing and financial records are being closely examined to trace the money trail. Authorities are also probing the role of the other accused named in the FIR.
The case has sent shockwaves through the film industry, raising serious questions about trust, transparency, and financial dealings in film production agreements.
