The apex court granted interim relief to filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife in connection with a Rs 30 crore financial dispute, observing that arrest should not be routine in such matters.
Published: February 13, 2026 3:38 PM IST
A major legal relief has come for filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari Bhatt after the Supreme Court ordered their release in a high value cheating case. The couple had been in judicial custody for over two months following their arrest in connection with an alleged Rs 30 crore financial dispute. The top court’s decision now allows them to walk out on interim bail while the matter continues to be heard.
What did the Supreme Court say during the hearing?
The case was heard by a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant along with Justice Joymalya Bagchi. During the proceedings senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi who appeared for the couple argued that jail cannot be the default option in financial disputes. He questioned the arrest of multiple people in the matter and said that not everyone could be put behind bars in such cases.
The bench observed that criminal proceedings should not be used as a tool for recovering money. The court granted interim bail to Vikram Bhatt and Shwetambari Bhatt, subject to bail bonds. It directed the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Udaipur to decide the terms and conditions of their release. Notices were also issued to complainant, Ajay Murdia founder of Indira IVF and Fertility Centre and to the Rajasthan government. The matter is expected to be heard again on February 19.
Also read: Fake bills, four-film promise: Inside Vikram Bhatt and his wife Rs 30 crore fraud case
Background of the Rs 30 crore allegations
The complaint was filed by Ajay Murdia who accused the filmmaker and others of cheating and criminal breach of trust. He alleged that around Rs 30 crore was taken in the name of producing a film and later misused. According to the complaint fake bills were allegedly generated under different names to withdraw funds which were then transferred into personal accounts.
More about the case
Vikram Bhatt and Shwetambari were arrested in Mumbai and later taken to Udaipur in December 2025. They had been lodged in jail since December 7 after a local court denied them relief. Their bail plea was earlier rejected by the Rajasthan High Court which had observed that granting bail at that stage would not be appropriate.
Apart from this case another businessman had also lodged a separate complaint in Mumbai alleging financial cheating involving a different amount. That investigation was later handed over to the Economic Offences Wing.
Also Read:
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: india.com
