SC Releases Vikram Bhatt, Wife on Interim Bail in Multi-Crore Fraud Case

NEW DELHI:
The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to Bollywood filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari in connection with Rs 30 crore fraud case.

The couple was arrested from their Mumbai residence on December 7, 2025, and brought to Rajasthan after a complaint was filed against them by a Udaipur-based doctor, alleging that he had been defrauded of crores by the director on the pretext of making a film.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi directed forthwith release of the couple and posted the matter for hearing on February 19.

Earlier on January 31, the Rajasthan High Court had rejected the bail applications of Vikram Bhatt, his wife and another accused in the multi-crore fraud case, observing that granting bail at this stage would be inappropriate as the investigation is still underway.

An FIR was registered on November 17 at Bhupalpura police station, Udaipur, against Vikram Bhatt and eight others by Dr Ajay Murdia, owner of the Indira Group and Indira IVF.

The complainant alleged that the director and his associates collected funds under the pretext of producing a biopic based on his wife.

Dr Murdia claimed he was first introduced to the project by Dinesh Kataria and later met Vikram Bhatt at Vrindavan Studio, Mumbai.

Bhatt allegedly assured him that an investment of Rs 7 crore could generate four films with a projected return of Rs 100-200 crore.

Following this, multiple transfers were made into accounts of various individuals associated with Bhatt’s team, amounting to Rs 2,45,61,400.

Additionally, Indira Entertainment allegedly paid Rs 42,70,82,232 — despite a total agreed production cost of Rs 47 crore.

According to the complaint, only two films were completed and released.

The third film, ‘Vishwa Virat’, is reportedly only 25 per cent completed, while the fourth, ‘Maharana-Ran’, has not yet begun.

Bhatt is accused of misappropriating Rs 25 crore meant for the fourth film.

Apart from Vikram Bhatt and Shwetambari Bhatt, the FIR names Krishna Bhatt, Dinesh Kataria, Mehboob Ansari, Mudit Buttan, Gangeshwar Lal Srivastava, and Ashok Dubey as accused.