₹30cr fraud case: Vikram Bhatt, wife sent to police custody
What's the story
Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari were remanded to seven days of police custody by the Additional Senior Civil Judge and Additional Chief Magistrate, Udaipur Court, on Tuesday. The order comes after their arrest by Rajasthan Police in connection with an alleged ₹30 crore cheating case. The couple was detained in Mumbai following a complaint from Udaipur-based businessman Dr. Ajay Murdia, owner of the Indira Group of Companies.
Case details
Allegations against Bhatt and others in fraud case
Murdia alleged that he was promised returns of up to ₹200 crore by Bhatt and his associates, but these promises were never fulfilled. Apart from the Bhatts, six others have been named as accused in this case. The Rajasthan Police's Udaipur team coordinated with their Mumbai counterparts for the arrests, taking the couple from Andheri's Yari Road area to a holiday magistrate in Mumbai.
Custody details
Bhatt's request for private vehicle denied by court
Bollywood Hungama reported that Bhatt had requested to travel to Udaipur in his own Mercedes car, considering the 15-16 hours road journey. However, the court denied this request, and he was taken in a vehicle arranged by the Udaipur Police instead. The couple was granted two days of transit remand by a holiday magistrate in Mumbai, allowing Rajasthan Police to take them to Udaipur for further investigation.
Film impact
Bhatt's upcoming film promotions in jeopardy amid legal troubles
The case has also raised questions over the promotional activities of Bhatt's upcoming film Haunted - Ghosts Of The Past. An industry insider told Bollywood Hungama, "Vikram Bhatt had planned to launch the trailer of Haunted - Ghosts Of The Past on December 19. Given the current situation, it remains to be seen whether he will be able to move forward with the event as scheduled."
Case history
The genesis of the fraud case against Bhatt
The case traces back to a meeting between Murdia and film producer Dinesh Katariya, who proposed making a biopic on Murdia's wife. The biopic was to be produced by Bhatt's wife Shwetambari through their firm VSB LLP. A contract worth ₹40 crore was signed for two films titled Biopic and Maharana. Promises of more films and greater profits were made. However, after several developments raised suspicion, Murdia concluded that he had been cheated and subsequently filed an FIR.