Fake Signature, Rs 77 Lakh Gone: Alia Bhatt’s Ex-Staffer Arrested For Duping Her

July 9, 2025: Six months after a case of fraud and forgery was filed, Vedika Prakash Shetty, former personal assistant to Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt, was arrested by Juhu Police in Bengaluru on Tuesday. The accused was produced before a Bandra Magistrate Court and has been remanded to police custody until Thursday.

The case dates back to January 2025, when Soni Razdan, veteran actress and Alia’s mother, lodged a complaint alleging that Shetty had forged Alia’s signatures and siphoned off funds worth ₹73 lakh from the actor’s personal and professional accounts.

Shetty, who worked with Alia Bhatt between 2021 and 2024, allegedly diverted funds from Alia’s accounts and from her production house, Eternal Sunshine Productions, which the actor co-founded with her sister, Shaheen Bhatt, in 2022. The police say Shetty transferred the stolen money to a friend’s account, which was then reversed into Shetty’s personal account. The friend is also under investigation, though they reportedly did not retain any funds.

After months of evading authorities, Shetty’s location was traced to Bengaluru, where she was taken into custody and brought to Mumbai. Investigators are now focusing on recovering the siphoned amount and determining if more individuals were involved.

Alia’s Recent Work and Upcoming Projects

Eternal Sunshine Productions gained recognition for co-producing the 2022 Netflix hit Darlings, starring Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, Vijay Varma, and Roshan Mathew, in collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment.

Alia also co-produced Jigra (2024), an escape thriller directed by Vasan Bala, alongside Dharma Productions. Though the film featured a strong ensemble cast, including Alia, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, and Vivek Gomber, it underperformed at the box office. She also backed Poacher, a Prime Video India original thriller series directed by Richie Mehta.

Looking ahead, Alia will next be seen in Alpha, a spy thriller by Shiv Rawail, part of the expanding YRF Spy Universe created by Aditya Chopra. The film, also starring Sharvari, is scheduled for a Christmas Day release on December 25, 2025.

In 2026, Alia is set to appear in Love & War, a much-anticipated romantic drama directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, starring opposite her husband Ranbir Kapoor and actor Vicky Kaushal.