Today, the Supreme Court of India grantes interim bail to Shwetambari Bhatt, wife of jailed film director Vikram Bhatt, in a multi-crore fraud case, describing her arrest as “unfortunate”.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice on a petition filed by the couple challenging the Rajasthan High Court’s order refusing them bail.

The couple has been lodged in a central jail in Udaipur since their arrest by the Rajasthan Police in December. The top court said it would take up Vikram Bhatt’s bail plea next Friday.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the petitioners, submitted that the police had travelled to Mumbai to arrest the couple from their residence and sought at least interim relief for Shwetambari Bhatt. Opposing the plea, counsel for the complainant Ajay Murdia argued that the case involved alleged cheating to the tune of ₹44 crore.

During the hearing, the Bench questioned the use of criminal proceedings for recovery of dues and remarked that the choice of Rajasthan as the jurisdiction was “very unfortunate”. The Chief Justice also noted that the petitioners had not sought quashing of the FIR.

Rohatgi contended that the complainant had wanted films made on his life, both of which failed commercially, and that the director and his wife could not be jailed on that basis. When the respondent’s counsel argued that a woman could not be presumed innocent, the Chief Justice remarked, “You want us to release both of them on bail?”

The court directed that Shwetambari Bhatt be released on interim bail forthwith and impleaded Murdia—owner of Indira IVF and former Indira Entertainment LLP—as a respondent. The matter will be heard next Wednesday.

The case arises from a complaint by Murdia alleging that the Bhatts induced him to invest over ₹30 crore in a biopic on his late wife, promising high returns that did not materialise.