How did acclaimed filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife allegedly defraud Udaipur-based doctor of Rs 30 crore over film projects, and what legal developments have followed since their arrest in Mumbai?
Police allege creation of false invoices and inflated vouchers.
Mumbai: Acclaimed filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari Bhatt were taken into custody by Rajasthan Police in Mumbai on Sunday, December 7, in connection with an alleged Rs 30 crore fraud case filed by a doctor from Udaipur. Following their arrest, the Udaipur police secured a transit remand of the couple until December 9, as the investigation continues.
The couple, along with six others, is accused of defrauding Dr Ajay Murdia, founder of the Indira Group of Companies, according to officials. Earlier, two individuals had already been arrested in relation to the matter.
Dr Murdia, who runs Indira IVF Hospital across India and specializes in female infertility treatments, had planned to produce a biopic on the life of his late wife, Indira. He alleged that promises of earnings worth Rs 200 crore were made by Bhatt and his associates, but the commitments were never fulfilled.
Following this, Dr Murdia lodged a complaint at the Bhopalpura police station in Udaipur, leading to the registration of an FIR for cheating and other offences. According to the FIR, Dr Murdia first met Vikram Bhatt in Mumbai on April 25, 2024, to discuss the biopic and related film projects. Preliminary investigations reveal that the introduction was made through an acquaintance.
In May last year, Dr Murdia and the Bhatts drafted an agreement to produce four films, including the biopic on Indira, with the total deal valued at Rs 47 crore. While two projects were reportedly completed, the remaining films were never produced.
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The Udaipur police investigation suggests that the accused allegedly created false documents, including bills from fictitious vendors, to misappropriate money from Dr Murdia. It is claimed that the accused inflated vouchers and verified them as authentic, siphoning off nearly Rs 30 crore from the complainant. Authorities believe that these actions constituted a deliberate plan to defraud the doctor.
The Rajasthan Police produced Vikram Bhatt and his wife in court to seek a two-day transit remand, planning to transport them from Mumbai to Udaipur for further investigation.
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The couple’s lawyers, Rakesh Singh and Sanjay Singh, contested the arrest, claiming that the grounds for detention were not clearly communicated and that the accused were forced to sign a document without a date or time. They further alleged that the police threatened them with torture in Rajasthan if they did not comply. The lawyers described the arrest as high-handed and without proper permission.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court granted transit remand until December 9. Investigations into the case are ongoing, and authorities continue to examine the alleged financial misappropriations and document forgery associated with the film projects.
