Trouble mounts for Bollywood veteran Vikram Bhatt as a new fraud case worth 13.5 crores rocks his already crumbling empire. Lodged at Versova police station against him and daughter Krishna Bhatt, the FIR is now under the EOW’s microscope. This comes hot on the heels of his incarceration in Udaipur for a separate 30 crore swindle.
Sources reveal the duo convinced a prominent businessman to pour 13.5 crores into film projects, dangling lucrative returns. Neither the money nor the films materialized, leaving the investor high and dry. The EOW’s involvement signals a thorough probe into what could be a pattern of financial misconduct.
Rewind to the prior scandal: Dr. Ajay Murdia, founder of Indira IVF chain, met Bhatt in Mumbai to discuss a biopic on his wife alongside four other movies. A contract was inked, and 44.29 crores changed hands. While some shoots progressed, others stalled, and refund pleas were stonewalled—prompting arrests in early December.
Bhatt and his wife, remanded to 7-day custody, saw bail denied on December 17 despite health claims. Jodhpur High Court looms as their next battleground. The film world buzzes with speculation: Is this the end of Bhatt’s reign, or just another plot twist?
As probes intensify, stakeholders urge regulatory reforms in film funding. Transparency could shield naive investors from predatory schemes masquerading as blockbuster dreams. Stay tuned as this saga unfolds.
