Vikram Bhatt Fraud Case: Police Verify Fresh Evidence, Claim Team Did Not Cooperate

It’s getting serious for filmmaker Vikram Bhatt. As the fraud case against him moves forward, the police say they’ve now gathered key evidence and are in the process of verifying it while also alleging

that Bhatt’s team was less than helpful during the investigation.

Bhatt and his wife, Shwetambari, were arrested in December in connection with the case and remain in judicial custody after the court rejected their bail plea on medical grounds. According to a latest update shared by PTI, investigators have collected material from multiple locations linked to the filmmaker in Mumbai.

Confirming the development, Investigating Officer DSP Chagan Rajpurohit said, “We have collected evidence from the filmmaker’s locations in Mumbai. Some bills have also been found. We are ascertaining their veracity. The filmmaker’s team did not fully cooperate in the investigation.”

On the other hand, Bhatt’s legal team has strongly denied any wrongdoing. His lawyer, Kamlesh Dave, dismissed the fraud allegations and questioned the manner in which the police acted in the case. “Police action was done in a hasty manner in this particular case. There are set procedures in the BNSS which were not duly followed,” he said, adding that all payments were made with the knowledge and consent of the parties involved.

The case stems from a complaint filed by businessman Dr Ajay Murdia with the Udaipur Police. According to the FIR, Bhatt, his wife, and six others allegedly promised to produce four films with a total budget of ₹47 crore if Dr Murdia invested an initial ₹7 crore and provided further funding. The complaint claims the projects were projected to generate profits of ₹100–200 crore.

Dr Murdia has alleged that the money was later diverted and misappropriated, prompting him to approach the police. The FIR states that he was introduced to Bhatt by co-accused Dinesh Kataria during discussions about a proposed biopic on Murdia’s wife, with meetings taking place in Mumbai in April 2024.

Bhatt and Shwetambari were arrested in Mumbai on December 7 and brought to Udaipur, where they were produced before a court the following day. They were subsequently remanded to seven days of police custody on December 9.

Last week, the Rajasthan High Court rejected a plea seeking to quash the cheating FIR. As per PTI, Justice Sameer Jain refused to interfere, observing that the allegations could not be brushed aside as a mere contractual dispute.

In its order, the High Court noted, “The allegations are not confined merely to non-performance of a contract; they involve deliberate diversion of funds, lack of transparency, and elements of dishonesty. The preliminary inquiry has revealed evidence of fake invoices and the circulation of funds.”

The court further held that the material on record pointed to actions that went beyond civil liability, allowing the police investigation to continue. The case remains under probe.