Bollywood filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife, Shwetambari Bhatt, were sent to judicial custody on Tuesday after failing to secure interim bail from a court in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The couple, who had been in police custody for seven days following their arrest, were denied relief despite seeking interim bail on medical grounds.
DSP Suryaveer Singh confirmed the development, stating that the couple would now be transferred to the Central Jail in Udaipur.
Arrest and Custody Timeline
- December 7 (Sunday): Vikram Bhatt and his wife were arrested from Mumbai by the Rajasthan Police.
- December 8 (Monday Night): The couple was brought to Udaipur by the police team.
- December 9 (Tuesday): They were produced before an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) court, which remanded them to seven days of police custody for interrogation and investigation.
- December 16 (Tuesday): The court rejected their plea for interim bail on medical grounds and ordered them to be remanded to judicial custody.
The ₹30 Crore Fraud Allegation
The case centers on an alleged fraud exceeding ₹30 crore. The FIR, which also names six other people, was registered at the Bhopalpura police station in Udaipur based on a complaint filed by Dr. Ajay Murdia, the founder of the Indira Group of Companies (Indira IVF Hospital).
The Biopic and Film Deal
The allegations detail a complex film production deal:
- The Proposal: Dr. Murdia, who wanted to produce a biopic on his late wife, was introduced to the accused in April 2024.
- The Contract: In May 2024, Dr. Murdia entered into a substantial ₹47 crore agreement with the Bhatts to produce a total of four films, including the aforementioned biopic. According to an official, Dr. Murdia was allegedly promised extraordinary earnings of up to ₹200 crore from the venture.
- The Failure to Deliver: Police reports indicate that while the first two films were reportedly made, the remaining two projects were never completed. Furthermore, the promised profits never materialized, leading Dr. Murdia to file a complaint for cheating and other offenses.
Mechanism of Siphoning Funds
The police probe revealed the alleged mechanism used to defraud the doctor:
- The accused reportedly prepared fake documents, including fake bills in the name of non-existent vendors.
- They allegedly created documents by inflating salary vouchers and other records, verifying them as true.
- Through these means, the accused managed to fraudulently siphon off around ₹30 crore from Dr. Murdia’s investment.
The decision by the Udaipur court to deny interim relief confirms the seriousness of the charges against the filmmaker and his wife, as the investigation into the financial trail and documentary evidence continues.