The Rajasthan High Court's principal seat in Jodhpur has reserved its order after a hearing that saw senior police officials being rigorously questioned over the arrest of Bollywood film producer Vikram Bhatt, his wife Shwetambari, and five others. The court expressed clear displeasure regarding the police action in what petitioners argue is a civil contractual dispute.
Court Grills Top Police Officials
A single bench of Justice Sameer Jain conducted the hearing on Monday, directing pointed questions at Inspector General of Police (IGP) Udaipur, Gaurav Srivastava, and Superintendent of Police (SP) Udaipur, Yogesh Goyal. The senior officers were questioned for over an hour via video conference.
The judge sought a detailed explanation for the arrest of the petitioners and inquired if the case had been referred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further probe. The court had summoned these officials, along with the Investigating Officer (IO) and the complete case record, during the previous hearing on December 9.
The Core of the Dispute: Civil or Criminal?
The arrests stem from a complaint filed by Udaipur-based businessman Ajay Murdiya. He accused Vikram Bhatt and the other individuals of cheating him of a massive sum of Rs 42 crore. The alleged fraud was committed under the guise of producing films through a contractual agreement.
Challenging the police action, the accused filed a petition in the High Court seeking to quash the First Information Report (FIR). Their counsel, Mahendra Godara, argued vehemently that the dispute is purely civil in nature. He contended that since the issue revolves around a breach of contract between the parties, it should be adjudicated in a magistrate's court and does not warrant a criminal case or arrest.
What Happens Next?
After hearing extensive arguments from both sides and examining the responses of the police officials, the High Court bench has reserved its order. The reserved order indicates that the court will deliberate on the legal points raised before delivering a final judgment on the petition to quash the FIR.
The outcome is keenly awaited, as it will set a precedent on how the judiciary views the interplay between contractual business disputes and criminal allegations of cheating, especially when high-profile individuals are involved. The court's scrutiny of the police's decision-making process also highlights the judicial oversight on law enforcement actions.
