Metro53 - Mumbai (Web Desk) — Indian filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife, Shwetambri Bhatt, were arrested from Mumbai yesterday in connection with a major financial fraud case registered in Rajasthan. According to Indian media, a special Udaipur police team took the couple into custody and obtained a transit remand from the court until December 9.
The case alleges that Vikram Bhatt, his wife, and six others defrauded Dr. Ajay Mardia, founder of Indira Group of Companies in Udaipur, of approximately ₹30 crore. Dr. Mardia claimed that the Bhatt family collected money under the pretext of producing a biopic based on his late wife’s life and other films but failed to complete the projects.
According to the police, in May 2024, an agreement was signed between Dr. Mardia and the Bhatt family for the production of four films worth a total of ₹47 crore. While the first two projects were claimed to be completed, the remaining films were never made.
Investigations revealed that the accused allegedly used fake vendors, inflated invoices, and forged documents to siphon funds, causing a loss of around ₹30 crore to the complainant.
During the court appearance following the arrest, the couple’s lawyers, connected to the film industry, alleged that the police conducted the arrest without proper procedure, pressured the accused into signing a blank document, and threatened them with violence if they did not cooperate in Rajasthan.
After hearing both sides, the court approved the transit remand of Vikram Bhatt and his wife until December 9.
