A Delhi court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to film producer Kumar Mangat Pathak in a case related to cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy over the Chinese rights of the movie Drishyam 2 [State of Delhi v Kumar Mangat Pathak]. 

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Saurabh Pratap Singh Laler of the Patiala House Courts passed the order after noting that the payment of ₹75 lakh was not made to Mangat personally and his custodial interrogation is not indispensable. 

“It is directed that in the event of arrest, the applicant Kumar Mangat Pathak shall be released on bail on furnishing a personal bond of ₹1,00,000 with one sureties of the like amount to the satisfaction of the Arresting Officer/SHO/IO,” the Court ordered. 

It directed Mangat to cooperate with the investigation. 

The Delhi Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) had registered a first information report (FIR) against Mangat and others after a businessman named Rajinder Kumar Goel claimed he was duped into investing ₹4.3 crore for exclusive Chinese-language rights to the film Drishyam 2 in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. 

Goel alleged that an intermediary named Bharat Sevak, posing as an authorised representative of Pathak’s Panorama Studios, used forged documents and misrepresentations to secure the deal. He added that funds amounting to ₹75 lakh were diverted from Sevak’s company to Panorama. 

Meanwhile, Pathak said that no payment was made to him personally and the amount of ₹75 lakh was transferred to Panorama’s account in relation to another film. 

He added that his company had replied to Goel’s email of November 14, 2024, on the same stating that the documents signed were forged. 

After considering the case, judge Laler said that Pathak had made a case for grant of anticipatory bail. 

Advocate Vineet Dhanda appeared for Kumar Mangat Pathak. 

Delhi Police was represented by Additional Public Prosecutor Mukul Kumar. 

[Read Order]