Vedika Prakash Shetty, the former personal assistant to Bollywood star Alia Bhatt, has been arrested for allegedly defrauding the actress of nearly Rs 77 lakh over a span of two years.
The arrest follows an official complaint lodged by Bhatt’s mother, actress Soni Razdan, with Juhu police earlier this year.
According to reports, Shetty, 32, worked closely with Bhatt and her production house, Eternal Sunshine Productions, from 2021 to 2024. She was responsible for overseeing financial documents, organising travel plans, and managing payment processes. Between May 2022 and August 2024, she is alleged to have submitted a series of forged bills under the guise of professional and travel expenses.
Authorities revealed that Alia Bhatt unwittingly approved the fake invoices, which resulted in funds being transferred to accounts connected to Shetty’s associate, only to be rerouted back to her.
After the fraudulent activity came to light, Shetty reportedly went on the run, shifting locations across Rajasthan, Karnataka, Pune, and Bengaluru. She was eventually traced to Bengaluru and brought to Mumbai on a transit remand.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor her team has issued an official statement regarding the incident. Mumbai police confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, with further revelations expected in the coming days.
