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Fake bills, promise of 4 films: What are the allegations against filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, his wife
The case involves Bhatt, his wife and six other people who are accused of defrauding a doctor named Dr Ajay Murdia of ₹30 crore
Bollywood filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari are at the centre of a big ₹30 crore fraud case and were sent to judicial custody on Tuesday. The couple did not receive any relief from court on Tuesday as they were denied interim bail on medical grounds after being in police custody for seven days and were sent to judicial custody instead, HT reported earlier.
DSP Suryaveer Singh told news agency ANI on Tuesday that the couple would now be sent to the Central Jail in Udaipur.
Why was Vikram Bhatt, his wife arrested?
Bhatt and his wife were arrested from Mumbai last Sunday, December 7, and were brought to Udaipur late night on December 8 by the Rajasthan Police in connection with an alleged fraud case, proceedings of which exceeded ₹30 crore. They were produced in an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate court the next day, which sent them into police custody for seven days.
The case involves Bhatt, his wife and six other people who are accused of defrauding a doctor named Dr Ajay Murdia of around ₹30 crore, HT reported earlier. Murdia is an Udaipur-based doctor and is the founder of Indira Group of Companies.
According to an official, the doctor wanted to make a biopic on his late wife and was allegedly promised earnings of ₹200 crore, reported news agency PTI. “But nothing materialised, after which Murdia approached Bhopalpura police station in Udaipur, where an FIR was registered for cheating and other offences," the official said.
Four-film promise, fake bills
Murdia was reportedly introduced to the accused in April 2024 by an acquaintance with a proposal to produce a biopic on his late wife, news agency PTI reported.
In May 2024, the doctor went into a ₹47 crore agreement with the Bhatts to produce a total of four films, including the former’s wife’s biopic, according to police.
Following the deal, the first two films were reportedly made, however, the rest two were never made, said police.
Further probe revealed that the doctor was allegedly duped of crores of rupees by the accused who prepared fake documents including fake bills in the name of fake vendors, inflated salary vouchers and more, and managed to siphon off around ₹30 crore from the doctor, according to police.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)
