Post by : Sameer Farouq

On Sunday, Udaipur police apprehended filmmaker Vikram Bhatt along with his wife, Shwetambari Bhatt, in Mumbai, relating to a ₹30 crore fraud in the film sector. Officials report that the couple, alongside six accomplices, is charged with defrauding Dr. Ajay Murdia, the founder of the Indira Group of Companies based in Udaipur.

Dr. Murdia, known for his work in female infertility services across India, had engaged the Bhatts to create a biopic honoring his late wife, with projected profits of ₹200 crore. However, this ambitious project never materialized, leading to Dr. Murdia filing an FIR at the Bhopalpura police station alleging fraud and other offenses.

Initial investigations uncovered that Dr. Murdia was introduced to the Bhatts through a contact. In May 2024, an agreement was established for the production of four films, including the biopic, amounting to a total of ₹47 crore. Although the first two films were reportedly produced, the subsequent projects were left unfulfilled.

According to Udaipur police, the suspects devised fake documentation, including invoices from non-existent vendors, to misappropriate funds from the complainant. They allegedly inflated expense claims and salary bills to support their financial dealings, leading to the unlawful transfer of approximately ₹30 crore.

After their capture in Mumbai, Rajasthan police requested a two-day transit remand to present the couple in Udaipur for further questioning and legal action. The couple's attorneys claimed that police coerced them into signing documents without disclosing the date and threatened them with intimidation if they did not comply.

The court has granted transit remand for the couple until December 9. This case has sparked significant attention, revealing one of the most considerable alleged frauds in the Indian cinema landscape recently.

#Entertainment News