New Delhi: Bollywood filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari face more jail time after the Rajasthan High Court rejected their bail pleas in a shocking Rs 30 crore fraud case. Arrested in Mumbai on December 7 and shifted to Udaipur, the couple has been behind bars for over a month.
The case involves cheating allegations from IVF centre founder Ajay Murdia, who claims film project funds were misused. Will justice prevail, or is this a business dispute gone wrong?
Court rejects bail of Vikram Bhatt and his wife
The Rajasthan High Court dismissed the bail applications of Vikram Bhatt and Shwetambari Bhatt on Saturday. Justice Vinod Kumar Bharwani ruled that “granting bail to the accused at this stage would not be appropriate.” The Special Public Prosecutor opposed the pleas, stating that the Bhatts are needed for further interrogation and might influence witnesses if released. This keeps the couple in jail as the probe continues.
Fraud allegations unfold
Ajay Murdia, founder of Indira IVF and Fertility Centre in Udaipur, filed the complaint accusing the Bhatts of cheating and criminal breach of trust. He alleges they misappropriated Rs 30 crore meant for film production by creating fake bills and diverting funds to their personal accounts. The money was supposed to produce movies for Murdia, but the Bhatts allegedly used it for themselves. Udaipur resident Dinesh Kataria and Bhatt’s manager Mehboob Ansari were also arrested on December 7.
Defence fights back
Vikram Bhatt’s lawyer, Kamlesh Dave, denied all charges, as reported by ANI. He claimed the police action was “based only on the FIR and not documents.” Dave added, “Every payment was made in the knowledge of both parties. There were no such fake or bogus bills. The agreement was done to make two films first, and another two on rolling finance.” Earlier, a lower court rejected Bhatt’s plea to quash the FIR, noting it involves fund misappropriation beyond a mere civil dispute, so the investigation proceeds.
The case highlights risks in Bollywood financing, with the Bhatts maintaining innocence amid serious claims. Police continue probing the multi-crore scam.