Mumbai Police arrested Vedika Prakash Shetty, the former personal assistant of Bollywood star Alia Bhatt, for allegedly defrauding the actor of ₹76.9 lakh over two years, from May 2022 to August 2024. Shetty, 32, was apprehended in Bengaluru on Tuesday and brought to Mumbai on a five-day transit remand.
The scam came to light after Alia’s mother, Soni Razdan, director of Eternal Sunshine Productions Pvt Ltd, filed a complaint with Juhu Police on January 23, 2025. Investigations revealed Shetty, employed as Alia’s assistant from 2021 to 2024, exploited her access to the actor’s financial documents. She allegedly created fake invoices for travel and meetings, securing Alia’s signature before funneling funds to a friend’s account, which were then transferred back to her.
“Shetty used professional tools to craft convincing fraudulent documents,” a Juhu Police official stated. After evading authorities across Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Pune, she was tracked down in Bengaluru. Charged under Sections 316(4) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for cheating and criminal breach of trust, Shetty was remanded to police custody until July 10 following her court appearance.
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The ongoing probe is examining potential accomplices and additional misappropriations. Neither Alia nor her team has commented publicly. Social media posts on X reflect public shock, with many praising the police’s swift action.
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