Supreme Court grants filmmaker Vikram Bhatt, wife interim bail in ₹30 crore fraud case

The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to filmmaker Vikram Bhatt and his wife Shwetambari Bhatt, following their arrest in a ₹30 crore cheating case registered in Rajasthan [Shwetambari V Bhatt and anr v. State of Rajasthan].

A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi passed the order after the couple moved the top court challenging the Rajasthan High Court's decision to deny them bail.

The case reportedly involves allegations that the filmmaker and his wife misused funds procured for film production from the complainant Dr Ajay Murdia, who runs the Indira Group of Companies, including fertility chain Indira IVF and an entertainment firm called Indira Entertainment LLP.

According to reports, Bhatt and his wife were arrested in the case in December 2025 and placed in judicial custody.

On January 31 this year, the Rajasthan High Court's Jodhpur Bench dismissed their bail plea, prompting them to approach the Supreme Court for relief.

Representing the Bhatts, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi today argued,

"He cannot put the director, his wife, everybody in jail...What is going on?"

The State's counsel opposed the argument.

"It's not so simple. ₹30 crore fraud!" he said.

Justice Bagchi, however, questioned whether the criminal justice system can be used to recover money.

"But you cannot use these cases to recover money," the judge said.

The Court proceeded to seek the Rajasthan government's response in the matter and granted the accused couple interim relief. The complainant has also been added as a party to the plea so that he may respond.

The case will be heard next on February 19.

"Issue Notice. The petitioner (Vikram Bhatt) and (his wife) be released on interim bail forthwith, subject to furnishing bail bonds. List next Thursday. Owner of Indira Entertainment LLP (owned by Dr. Murdia) is ordered to be impleaded as a respondent," the Court said.