Rajasthan police tells High Court it will close cheating case against Sanjay Leela Bhansali, others

Rajasthan Police has decided to file a closure report in a cheating case registered last year against filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali and two members of his production team in connection with the film Love & War starring Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal and Alia Bhatt. .The information was submitted made before Justice Baljinder Singh Sandhu in Rajasthan High Court on July 17 during the hearing of a petition moved by the three accused for quashing of the First Information Report (FIR).State counsel said the police after thorough investigation in the matter has proposed to file a negative final report before the competent court.The filing of a negative final report indicates that the investigating agency has not found sufficient material to prosecute the accused.The trial court will now consider whether to accept the police report or not.In view of the submission, the High Court declined to entertain proceed further with the petition filed by Bhansali, production manager Utkarsh Bali and Arvinder Gill for quashing the case.“This Court has considered the matter and in view thereof, is not inclined to interfere in the matter," the Bench said while dismissing the plea by the accused.However, it granted the petitioners a liberty to raise all their contentions before the competent court at the appropriate stage..The case arose from an FIR registered at the Bichhwal Police Station in Bikaner on September 1, 2025. It invoked Sections 318(4), 61(2), 352 and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to cheating, criminal conspiracy, intentional insult and criminal intimidation.The complaint was lodged by Prateek Raj Mathur, founder of a film production and hospitality company that provides line-production services.Mathur alleged that Bali contacted him in November 2024 and represented that he would be engaged as line producer for Love & War. According to the complaint, he was asked to make security and logistical arrangements for the production team’s proposed visit to Rajasthan.Mathur claimed that after he began making arrangements and incurred expenses, he was informed that the production house could not confirm any collaboration with him. He alleged that another person was subsequently appointed as line producer.He also accused members of the production team of threatening him when he sought payment of his alleged dues.Bhansali and the other petitioners denied the allegations. They maintained that the communications with Mathur were preliminary and exploratory and that no formal contract, work order, fee agreement or approved budget had been finalised..According to their petition, Mathur was asked on November 28 and 29, 2024 to put the proposed arrangements on hold and cancel the plans. The proposed collaboration was terminated on December 2, they added.The petitioners also disputed Mathur’s claim for about ₹2 lakh expenses, arguing that the alleged expenditure was incurred without their approval. They termed the dispute commercial in nature and alleged that criminal proceedings had been initiated to pressure them into making payment..Advocate Nishant Bora represented the petitioners. Public Prosecutor Sameer Pareek appeared for the State..[Read Order]