Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt has reportedly been taken into custody in connection with an alleged ₹30 crore fraud case after a lookout notice was issued against him, his wife Shwetambari Bhatt, and six others. According to an Hindustan Times report, the arrest took place during a coordinated operation between the Rajasthan Police and Mumbai Police at the residence of Bhatt’s sister-in-law in Mumbai.
Transit Remand to Be Sought for Transfer to Udaipur
Following the arrest, Rajasthan Police are expected to apply for a transit remand in Bandra Court to move Bhatt to Udaipur, where the investigation is underway. The lookout notice, issued seven days before the arrest, had required all accused individuals to appear before the Udaipur Police by 8 December and prohibited them from leaving the country without prior clearance.
The case stems from a complaint filed nearly 20 days earlier, which resulted in an FIR naming eight people, including Bhatt and his wife. The allegations centre on a purported financial fraud amounting to ₹30 crore. The Bhopalpura Police Station in Udaipur is currently handling the probe.
What the Complaint Alleges
As per the police report, the complainant, Dr Ajay Murdia, owner and founder of the Indira Group of Companies, of which Indira IVF Hospital is a part of, has accused the group of misleading him. The FIR names several individuals: Vikram Bhatt, his wife Shwetambari Bhatt, their daughter Krishna (resident of Andheri West, Mumbai), Dinesh Kataria (Saheli Nagar, Udaipur), Mehboob Ansari (producer, Thane), Mudit Butattan (Delhi), Gangeshwar Lal Srivastava (DSC Chairman), and Ashok Dubey (General Secretary, Federation of Western India Cine Employees, Mumbai).
How the Alleged Fraud Began
According to the complaint, Dr Murdia had plans to produce a biopic on his late wife and consulted Dinesh Kataria for guidance. On Kataria’s suggestion, he visited Vrindavan Studio in Mumbai on 25 April 2024, where he was introduced to Vikram Bhatt.
Dr Murdia claimed that Bhatt stated he would oversee the film project and requested funds to begin work. Bhatt allegedly informed him that his wife and daughter were also working on the project as associates. A company, VSB LLP, is registered in the name of Shwetambari Bhatt, which was said to be involved in the process.
The police are continuing their investigation as the case develops.