Popular director Vikram Bhatt arrested in Rs 30 crore fraud case

Bollywood filmmaker Vikram Bhatt was arrested on Sunday in a joint operation by the Rajasthan and Mumbai Police over his alleged involvement in a Rs 30 crore fraud case. The arrest took place at Ganga Bhavan in Mumbai’s Yaari Road area, where Bhatt was reportedly staying at his sister-in-law’s residence. 

This development comes just weeks after Bhatt publicly denied the allegations, claiming that the police had been ‘completely misguided’.

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The Rs 30 Crore Fraud Allegation

The FIR, lodged at Bhupalpura police station in Udaipur, was filed by Dr Ajay Murdia — founder of the Indira IVF chain. Dr Murdia alleges that Bhatt, along with his wife Shwetambari Bhatt, daughter Krishna Bhatt, and several associates, persuaded him to invest around Rs 30 crore into multiple film projects. These included four films, documentaries, and a biopic based on his late wife’s life.

According to the complaint, Bhatt and his team assured the doctor that the projects would generate returns of up to Rs 200 crore. However, after receiving the funds in instalments, work on some projects allegedly halted midway, while others were released without crediting Dr Murdia as agreed.

Police Investigation and Arrests So Far

The FIR names eight individuals, including co-producer Mehboob Ansari and vendor Sandeep Trilobhan — both of whom were arrested earlier and remanded to police custody. Following a lookout notice issued a week ago, Rajasthan Police, aided by Mumbai Police, apprehended Bhatt and are now seeking transit remand to take him to Udaipur for further questioning.

Authorities are currently analysing contracts, bank statements, communication records, and alleged forged documents as part of the probe. More arrests are expected as the investigation continues.

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Vikram Bhatt’s Response

Bhatt maintains his innocence, calling the FIR ‘misleading’ and alleging that fabricated documents may have influenced the complaint. He claims payments from Dr Murdia’s side were stopped, which stalled production. Bhatt has stated that he possesses ‘complete evidence’ to prove his case and is prepared to cooperate fully with investigators.