Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, Wife Held in ₹30 Crore Fraud Case

Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari Bhatt were arrested last week in a high-profile fraud case and sent to judicial custody. On Tuesday, a court rejected their plea for interim medical bail, sending them back to custody. The couple will remain in jail for several more days as the police prepare a chargesheet against them in a ₹30 crore fraud case.

The Udaipur Court, under the Additional Senior Civil Judge and Additional Chief Magistrate, ordered Vikram Bhatt and Shwetambari Bhatt to seven days of police custody in connection with the IVF fraud case.

The Story Behind the Fraud Case

The case was filed by businessman Dr. Ajay Murdia, who alleged that he first met Dinesh Kataria at an event, where Kataria proposed making a biopic on Murdia’s wife. On April 24, 2024, Kataria introduced Murdia to Vikram Bhatt in Mumbai to discuss the project.

According to the FIR, Vikram Bhatt and his wife allegedly promised Dr. Murdia that if he financed an initial ₹7 crore and provided further funding, they could produce four films for ₹47 crore, assuring him potential profits between ₹100–200 crore.

However, Dr. Murdia claimed that the accused later siphoned off over ₹30 crore by making false assurances about the film projects. Police stated that the couple allegedly used fake bills and documents to embezzle the funds.

Why Medical Bail Was Denied

Vikram and Shwetambari were initially arrested on December 7 and sent to judicial custody. On Tuesday, their lawyer requested interim bail on medical grounds, but the court rejected it. Udaipur DSP Suryaveer Singh confirmed that the court ordered them to remain in judicial custody and that they will now be transferred to Udaipur Central Jail.

This case has sparked widespread discussion in the film industry regarding investment fraud, and it has quickly become a trending topic on social media, highlighting the risks associated with high-value film projects.