Ali Abbas Zafar Booked For Defaulting Producer Vishu Bhagnani Of Rs. 9 Cr From 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan' Budget
Film director Ali Abbas Zafar, along with his associates Himanshu Mehre and Ekesh Randive, has been booked for allegedly defrauding producer Vashu Bhagnani of Rs 9 crore.
Film director Ali Abbas Zafar, along with his associates Himanshu Mehre and Ekesh Randive, has been booked for allegedly defrauding producer Vashu Bhagnani of Rs 9 crore, according to a police report on Monday. The charges were filed following an order from the court, with a First Information Report (FIR) being lodged on Sunday. The trio faces multiple charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including criminal conspiracy (120(b)), criminal breach of trust (406), cheating (420), forgery (465), fraud (471), defamation (500), and criminal intimidation (506).
How Vashu Bhagnani and Ali Abbas Zafar's dispute began
Bhagnani, who produced the film Bade Miyan Chote Miyan starring Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff, had approached the Bandra magistrate court to file a complaint against Zafar. The film, released on April 11, was produced by Bhagnani's Pooja Entertainment. According to Bhagnani, the accused had signed an agreement for Rs 154 crore for the movie, but later demanded Rs 230 crore, claiming it was necessary due to an over-budget. He alleges that they created fake invoices and misappropriated Rs 9 crore.
The magistrate's order, issued on December 2, determined that the alleged offences were cognisable and non-bailable. In his statement, Bhagnani stated that the trio repeatedly requested payments and, in violation of the contract, incurred additional expenses without providing any explanation or accounts for these costs.
Vashu Bhagnani had claimed that he was deceived into making large payments under the guise of production costs, accusing Ali Abbas Zafar and his associates of violating the terms of their contract and inflating expenses. Bhagnani alleged that the trio forged documents, manipulated financial records, and misappropriated significant sums of money.
In November 2021, Zafar was brought in as the film's director, with Mehra and Randive appointed to oversee the accounts and production. Bhagnani claimed that although a production budget of ₹125 crore was agreed upon, Zafar and his associates submitted inflated expenses and failed to provide accurate financial records, ultimately leading to a substantial financial fraud.
No arrests have been made yet, and the investigation is ongoing.
( with inputs from agency)
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