Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt held in ₹30 crore IVF scam; wife Shwetambari also under scrutiny after lookout notice

Popular filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari Bhatt have been arrested in Rajasthan in connection with a ₹30 crore cheating case. Their arrest follows a complaint by Udaipur-based Dr. Ajay Murdia, founder of the Indira Group of Companies, who alleged that he was defrauded of crores. Alongside the couple, six others have also been named in the case, which was registered last month.

The arrests followed a lookout notice issued against Vikram Bhatt, his wife Shwetambari, and six others. Authorities had directed them to appear before the Udaipur Police by December 8, while also restricting them from travelling abroad without prior approval.

The controversy traces back to a complaint by Dr. Ajay Murdia, founder of Indira IVF Hospital, who said he was persuaded to invest over ₹30 crore in a film project. He was allegedly promised returns that could soar to ₹200 crore. As per the FIR lodged at Bhupalpura Police Station, Vikram Bhatt had agreed to make a biographical film on Dr. Murdia’s late wife, assuring him that he would oversee the entire production. Bhatt is said to have sought funds as the project progressed, claiming his wife Shwetambari and daughter were also involved as associates. To back the venture, a company called VSB LLP was registered under Shwetambari Bhatt’s name.

Dr. Ajay Murdia initially sought guidance from Dinesh Kataria, who then connected him with filmmaker Vikram Bhatt. On April 25, 2023, the two met at Vrindavan Studio in Mumbai, where they discussed the idea of turning Murdia’s story into a biopic. The project took shape as the film Tumko Meri Kasam, which eventually released earlier this year with Esha Deol and Anupam Kher in lead roles.

Back in November, Vikram Bhatt pushed back strongly against the allegations in an interview with NDTV. He said the FIR was “misleading” and insisted the police had been “completely misguided.” According to him, the claims were “absolutely wrong,” and he suggested that Dr. Murdia may have used fabricated documents to sway the authorities.
Bhatt also pointed to another dispute, alleging that Dr. Murdia abruptly pulled the plug on a film titled Virat and left its technicians unpaid. For now, the investigation into the ₹30 crore case continues, with both sides standing firm on their versions of events.