Alia Bhatt’s former assistant arrested for alleged fraud of Rs 76 lakh

MUMBAI : Alia Bhatt’s former personal assistant, Vedika Prakash Shetty, has been arrested by the Mumbai Police for allegedly cheating the actress and embezzling money from her production company’s account.

According to the police, Vedika, who was arrested in Bengaluru, had been working as a secretary for Alia Bhatt’s company, Eternal Sunshine Productions Pvt. Ltd. Due to her position, she was given access to and authority over the office’s financial matters. The police said Vedika embezzled more than Rs 76 lakhs from the company’s account over a span of two years, from August 2022 to 2024.

As per the police, the complaint was filed by Soni Bhatt earlier this year at Mumbai’s Juhu Police Station. Based on the complaint, a case was registered against Vedika on January 23, 2025, under sections 316(4) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Meanwhile, on the work front, Alia is busy filming her upcoming movie, Alpha. Directed by Shiv Rawail, Alpha is set to be a significant addition to Yash Raj Films’ acclaimed spy universe and is scheduled for release on December 25. Alia is also working on Love and War with Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. (ANI)