Vikram Bhatt And His Wife Shwetambari Granted Bail In Rs 30 Crore Cheating Case

The

Supreme Court of India on Friday, February 13, granted interim bail to Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari Bhatt in a multi-crore cheating case linked to an alleged Rs 30 crore investment. Shwetambari, who was lodged in Central Jail in Udaipur, was ordered to be released immediately. The couple had earlier been denied bail by the Rajasthan High Court. The top court issued notice on their plea challenging that decision and said it would hear the matter in detail next week. The arrest had taken place in December after Rajasthan Police picked them up from their Mumbai residence.

Top Court Questions Arrest And Case

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard the matter. Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the couple, argued that the police travelled to Mumbai to arrest them and that the dispute was mainly financial in nature.

Rohatgi told the court that the complainant wanted films to be made on himself and his late wife. Two films were reportedly made but did not perform well. "Both movies flopped. It is not my fault. You cannot put the director and his wife in jail," he argued.The bench also questioned how Rajasthan became the jurisdiction for the case and observed that criminal proceedings should not be used as a way to recover money. The court asked whether the complainant wanted both of them to remain in jail. After brief arguments, it directed that Shwetambari be released on interim bail.

What Is The Case Against Vikram Bhatt?

The case against Vikram Bhatt is based on a complaint filed by Ajay Murdia, who is the owner of Indira IVF and a former partner in Indira Entertainment LLP in Udaipur. Murdia has claimed that Vikram Bhatt and his wife, Shwetambari Bhatt, convinced him to invest more than Rs 30 crore in a film project. The project was said to be a biopic, and he was allegedly promised high returns on his investment.According to the complaint, the films that were made did not earn profits as expected. Murdia has alleged that he was cheated because the promised financial returns were never given. Based on this complaint, a criminal case of cheating was registered against the couple.During the bail hearing, the complainant's lawyer argued that being a woman does not mean someone cannot commit a crime. However, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Shwetambari Bhatt and will hear the matter again next week.