Supreme Court grants bail to Vikram Bhatt, wife in Rs 30 crore cheating case

The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari Bhatt in connection with an alleged cheating and criminal breach of trust case involving Rs 30 crore.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi directed their immediate release from Udaipur jail. The court asked the chief judicial magistrate concerned to formalise the bail order and specify the applicable terms and conditions.

The apex court also issued notices to the complainant, Ajay Murdia, founder of Indira IVF and a resident of Udaipur, as well as to the Rajasthan government. The matter is scheduled to be heard next on 19 February.

The couple have been in custody since 7 December 2025, when they were arrested in Mumbai and subsequently taken to Udaipur. Their applications for bail were rejected by the Rajasthan High Court on 31 January, with the court observing that it would not be appropriate to grant relief at that stage of the proceedings.

The case stems from a complaint filed by Murdia, who alleged that funds amounting to Rs 30 crore were misappropriated under the pretext of financing a film project. According to the complaint, the money was intended for the production of films but was instead transferred into accounts controlled by the accused and used for personal purposes.

It is further alleged that fabricated bills were generated in different names to facilitate the transfer of funds.

In addition to the Bhatts, Udaipur-based Dinesh Kataria and Bhatt’s manager, Mehboob Ansari, were arrested by Rajasthan Police in connection with the case on the same day in December. The investigation remains ongoing.

With IANS inputs