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Bollywood actress, Alia Bhatt’s former personal assistant has been taken into custody by Juhu Police on charges of financial fraud, following allegations that she embezzled more than ₹76 lakh from the actress’s personal and corporate accounts.
Vedika Prakash Shetty, who previously managed Bhatt’s schedules and finances, is accused of siphoning funds from the accounts of Eternal Sunshine Productions Pvt Ltd, Bhatt’s own film company, and from Bhatt’s personal finances.
The arrest, confirmed by officials on Tuesday evening, follows a preliminary investigation that revealed a pattern of irregular transactions reportedly orchestrated by Shetty over a period of time. According to reports, she allegedly transferred money using deceptive authorisations and forged communications.
As of Wednesday morning, no formal statement had been issued by Bhatt or her representatives. Sources close to the actress indicated that a more detailed financial audit is underway and that legal proceedings will be pursued with full rigour.
Eternal Sunshine Productions was founded by Alia Bhatt in 2021 with the intent of creating “happy films” rooted in warmth and realism. The company’s debut project, Darlings, starred Bhatt alongside Shefali Shah and Vijay Varma, and was co-produced with Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment. The film is currently streaming on Netflix.
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While the fraud investigation continues, Bhatt remains occupied with multiple film commitments. She is presently shooting for Alpha, a high-octane action thriller that is part of Yash Raj Films’ Spy Universe, scheduled for release on 25 December 2025.
She is also set to reunite with her actor-husband Ranbir Kapoor in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming period romance Love and War, co-starring Vicky Kaushal. Speaking about the project, Bhatt recently told News18 Showsha, “I, as an audience, am more excited to see him [Bhansali] and Ranbir collaborate, again, after so many years. I am like, ‘wow, what’s that going to be like?’”
On working with Kaushal again, Bhatt added, “Vicky and I coming together again; Ranbir and Vicky created magic with Sanju. So, it is a lot of combinations.”
Bhatt also has Jee Le Zara, directed by Farhan Akhtar and starring Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra, in her pipeline, though its shoot schedule remains unannounced.
