Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt has been arrested days after a lookout notice was issued against him and his wife, Shwetambari Bhatt and six others. They were reportedly involved in an IVF fraud case stemming back to a doctor in Udaipur. As per an HT report, their arrest was carried out in a joint operation by Rajasthan and Mumbai Police.
Arrested at his sister-in-law’s residence in Mumbai, Rajasthan Police will now seek a transit remand from the Bandra Court to transfer Bhatt to Udaipur. This comes after the Udaipur police notice required them to appear before authorities by December 8 and restricted their travel movements. The investigation, however, is being handled by Bhopalpura Police.
What linked Vikram Bhatt to Rs 30 crore?
Vikram Bhatt, along with this wife and others were reportedly involved in defrauding Dr Ajay Murdia, founder of the Indira Group of Companies for Rs 30 crore. HT also reported that this comes nearly a month after an FIR was registered against eight people, including Vikram Bhatt.
The Indira IVF owner alleged that he was promised Rs 200 crore earnings in exchange of Rs 30 crore investment in his films. According to the police report, Vikram Bhatt’s daughter Krishna was also named in the complaint filed by Murdia. The others named include Dinesh Kataria, Mehnoob Ansari, and Mudit Buttatan. Gangeshwar Lal Srivastava, and Ashok Dubey, the DSC Chairman and General Secretary of the Federation of Western India Cine Employees respectively, were named too.
The Murdia-Bhatt pact
According to the report, Murdia wanted to commemorate a film about his late wife and approached Dinesh Kataria for assistance. On his advice, the Indira IVF founder visited Vrindavan studios in Mumbai. There, he met director Vikram Bhatt in April 2024.
Revealing that his wife and daughter were also involved in the filmmaking process, Vikram Bhatt urged Murdia to release the money.
Who is Vikram Bhatt?
Vikram Bhatt shares a close relationship with his mentor and celebrated filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt. Childhood friend with Mahesh’s daughter Pooja, Vikram spent his young days on the sets of Vishwashghat in Bengaluru. He shot to fame after his successful horror franchise Raaz. As he expanded as a producer, writer and director, he rolled out 1920, Ghulam and Kasoor. Grandson of the Baiju Bawra maker, he spent his teenage years as a chief assistant director of Agneepath in 1990. He tied the knot with current wife and co-accused Shwetambari, five years ago in 2020.