₹30cr fraud case: Vikram Bhatt, wife sent to judicial custody
What's the story
Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari have been sent to judicial custody in a ₹30 crore fraud case. The couple was earlier remanded to seven days of police custody by a Udaipur court on December 9. Their legal team later sought interim bail on medical grounds, but the court declined the request and ordered their transfer to judicial custody instead.
Case details
Bhatt and his wife were arrested in Mumbai
The couple was arrested in Mumbai on December 7 and brought to Udaipur. They were produced before a local court on December 8, following which they were remanded to police custody for seven days on December 9. The case involves allegations of cheating and financial fraud amounting to over ₹30 crore against Bhatt, his wife, and six others.
Complainant's complaint
The complainant in the case is Dr. Ajay Murdia
The complainant in this case is Udaipur-based Dr. Ajay Murdia, the founder of the Indira Group of Companies and owner of Indira IVF Hospital. He had approached Bhatt and his wife with a proposal to make a biopic on his late wife, alleging they promised him returns of up to ₹200 crore from the project but failed to deliver. An FIR was lodged against them at Bhopalpura police station in Udaipur on November 17.
Fraud details
Allegations of fraud and fake bills
The FIR accuses the defendants of siphoning off more than ₹30 crore by offering false assurances related to film production and projected profits. Police have further alleged that the fraud was carried out through fake bills generated by the accused. The couple will now be sent to Central Jail in Udaipur.
Denial
Bhatt denied allegations, claimed FIR was misleading
Earlier, when the FIR was filed, Bhatt denied the allegations. Speaking to NDTV about the case, he said that he came to know about the FIR and denied any wrongdoing. "Yes, I found out today that Ajay Murdia, the founder of Indira IVF has filed a FIR not just against me but against eight of us," Bhatt told reporters. "I have read the FIR and I believe it is misleading."