₹30 crore cheating case: Supreme Court grants interim relief to filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and wife

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to director and film producer Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari Bhatt in connection with a fraud case involving alleged financial misappropriation.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant passed the order and listed the matter for further hearing on February 19, 2026. The couple had been in judicial custody since December 7, 2025, following their arrest by the Rajasthan Police.

What the ₹30 crore case alleges

The case originates from a complaint filed by Dr. Ajay Murdia, founder of Indira IVF. According to the FIR registered in Udaipur, Bhatt, his wife and others were accused of cheating and criminal breach of trust involving ₹30 crore.

The complaint alleges that funds were provided for film production but were diverted into personal accounts instead of being used for the agreed projects. It further claims that fabricated bills were prepared under multiple names to facilitate the transfer of money.

The Rajasthan Police arrested the couple in Mumbai and later brought them to Udaipur in connection with the investigation. Alongside them, Udaipur-based Dinesh Kataria and Bhatt’s manager Mehboob Ansari were also arrested on the same day.

The investigation is ongoing.

Defence and earlier court proceedings

Vikram Bhatt has denied the allegations. His counsel previously argued that all payments were made with the knowledge of both parties and that there were no fake or bogus bills. The defence also maintained that the agreement involved producing two films initially, followed by two additional films under a rolling finance arrangement.

Before approaching the Supreme Court, the couple had sought relief from the High Court, which declined to quash the FIR. The High Court observed that the matter involved serious allegations of misappropriation and required criminal investigation rather than being treated as a simple contractual dispute.

With interim bail now granted, the case will be heard again by the Supreme Court on February 19, 2026, where further arguments on the nature of the dispute are expected.

The matter remains under judicial consideration.
(With ANI inputs)