In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court of India on Friday granted interim bail to Shwetambari Bhatt, wife of filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, in connection with a multi-crore cheating case registered by the Rajasthan Police. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi passed the order on February 13 and listed the matter for further hearing on February 19.
The case stems from an FIR lodged in Udaipur in November 2025 at the Bhupalpura police station. Both Vikram Bhatt and Shwetambari Bhatt have been booked in the matter following a complaint by Dr. Ajay Murdia. According to police sources, the complaint alleges that an agreement was signed with Bhatt’s production company for the making of four films and documentaries in memory of the complainant’s late wife. The FIR claims that despite payments being made, the projects were not delivered as per the contractual agreement.
As per Udaipur District Superintendent of Police Yogesh Goyal, two films that were reportedly produced were allegedly not rightfully attributed, while the highest-budget project under the contract was never initiated. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have stated that further action will depend on the findings.
Responding to the allegations earlier, Vikram Bhatt denied any wrongdoing, stating that he believed the police were being misled. He claimed he had not received prior notice about the FIR and learned of it through media reports. Bhatt questioned the financial figures mentioned in the complaint and asserted that if certain documents were submitted to the police, they would be forged. He also cited creative and budgetary disagreements regarding production methods, including green screen versus on-location shoots, which he said significantly impacted costs.
Vikram Bhatt, who began his career assisting director Mukul Anand on Kanoon Kya Karega, later directed notable films such as Ghulam starring Aamir Khan and horror hits like 1920, Shaapit, and Haunted – 3D. As the legal proceedings continue, the interim bail order offers temporary relief to Shwetambari Bhatt while the case moves toward its next hearing.