Supreme Court Grants Interim Bail To Film Director Vikram Bhatt's Wife In Cheating Case

The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to Shwetambari Bhatt, wife of film director Vikram Bhatt, who is lodged in Central jail in Udaipur in connection with a multi-crore fraud case.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi passed the order while issuing notice on the petition filed by Shwetambari Bhatt and Vikram Bhatt challenging the Rajasthan High Court's order denying them bail.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the petitioners, argued that the Rajasthan police came to their Mumbai residence and arrested both of them from there. Rohatgi pressed for interim bail at least for the wife at the present stage.

The counsel appearing for the complainant, Ajay Murdia, submitted that it was a case of cheating of Rs 44 crores.

The bench asked if the criminal case was a method to recover the dues. "Unfortunately, they (petitioners) have not sought quashing of the FIR," CJI Surya Kant said. "How Rajasthan has been chosen? Very unfortunate," CJI Kant said.

Rohatgi submitted that the complainant wanted movies to be made on himself. "Both movies flopped. It is not my fault. Can't put the director and his wife in jail," Rohatgi submitted.

The Court directed that Shwetambari Bhatt be released on interim bail forthwith. When the respondent's counsel submitted that it cannot be presumed that a woman would not commit a crime, CJI asked, "You want us to release both of them on bail?"

The Court also impleaded Ajay Murdia, owner of Indira IVF, and former Indira Entertainment LLP, Udaipur, as a respondent in the matter. The Court will hear the matter next Wednesday.

The case stems from a complaint filed by Murdia that Bhatt and his wife induced him to invest over Rs 30 crore in a biopic of his late wife, promising high returns which never got materialised. In December, the Bhatt couple was arrested from Mumbai by the Rajasthan police.

Case : Shwetambari Bhatt and another v. State of Rajasthan | SLP(Crl) 2647/2026