Alia Bhatt’s Former Assistant Arrested for ₹76.9 Lakh Embezzlement
Mumbai Police have arrested Vedika Prakash Shetty (32), the former personal assistant of Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt, for allegedly embezzling ₹76.9 lakh from the actress’s personal accounts and her production company, Eternal Sunshine Productions Pvt. Ltd.
Shetty, who had been on the run for several months, was apprehended from Bengaluru on Tuesday. She was produced before the Bandra Magistrate Court and has been remanded to police custody till July 10, according to officials from the Juhu Police Station.
Details of the Embezzlement
- The case was registered in January after Alia’s mother Soni Razdan filed a complaint on behalf of the actor.
- Investigation revealed that Shetty submitted multiple forged invoices, which appeared to be signed by Alia Bhatt.
- The funds were first diverted to a friend’s account, and later transferred to Shetty’s personal account.
- The total misappropriated amount is estimated to be ₹76.9 lakh.
Officials stated that Shetty absconded soon after the FIR was filed and frequently changed locations to avoid arrest. The arrest came after a months-long manhunt by Mumbai Police.
Police also confirmed that Shetty’s friend—in whose account the funds were initially routed—is being questioned, although there is no evidence of personal gain on their part.
Who is Vedika Prakash Shetty?
- Shetty worked as Alia Bhatt’s personal assistant for over two years before being let go in 2023.
- Her role included handling day-to-day operations, financial transactions, and oversight of the production house, Eternal Sunshine.
- The company was founded by Alia Bhatt in 2021, with its first film being “Darlings”, a Netflix original starring Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, Vijay Varma, and Roshan Mathew.
The Mumbai Police are continuing efforts to trace and recover the embezzled funds. Further questioning is underway to determine if any other parties were involved or aware of the fraud. Investigators are also examining financial records for additional discrepancies.
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