Court Directs Police to File Cheating Case Against Filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar On Producer Vashu Bhagnani's Complaint
A Mumbai court has directed the police to file a case against director Ali Abbas Zafar and his associates, Himanshu Mehra and Ekesh Randive, following a complaint by producer Vashu Bhagnani.
A Mumbai court has directed the police to file a case against director Ali Abbas Zafar and his associates, Himanshu Mehra and Ekesh Randive, following a complaint by producer Vashu Bhagnani. The allegations involve cheating, criminal conspiracy, and forgery in connection with the production of the 2024 film ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’.
According to PTI, Magistrate Komalsing Rajput, who issued the directive, highlighted the gravity of the accusations, stating, “The allegations are serious. All the aspects lead to inference that thorough interrogation seems necessary.”
The court instructed the Bandra police to investigate the trio under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 120(b) (criminal conspiracy), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), and 465 (forgery).
Allegations of fraud
Bhagnani, a renowned Bollywood producer, claimed he was lured into paying large sums under the pretense of production costs, with Zafar and his associates allegedly breaching contractual terms and submitting inflated expenses. The producer accused them of forging documents, manipulating accounts, and siphoning off substantial funds.
The complaint details that Bhagnani signed a deal in February 2021 for four films with Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, including ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’. In November 2021, Zafar was brought on board as the film's director, with the condition that his associates, Mehra and Randive, would manage the accounts and production.
Bhagnani alleged that while a production budget of ₹125 crore was agreed upon, Zafar and his team submitted falsified expenses and failed to provide proper accounts, ultimately defrauding him.
Legal proceedings
The court noted that Bhagnani’s allegations were backed by substantial evidence, including agreements, payment vouchers, cost sheets, and WhatsApp exchanges.
“The total amount of alleged fraud and cheating in the several transactions is very high. The number of transactions is also very high,” the magistrate was quoted as saying by PTI.
Bhagnani reportedly approached the Bandra police with his grievances, but after receiving no action, he turned to the court for intervention.
Vashu Bhagnani is the founder of Pooja Entertainment, a production house known for hits like Coolie No. 1, Hero No. 1, Biwi No. 1, and Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein.
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