Alia Bhatt's Former Secretary Arrested for ₹76.9 Lakh Fraud: A Shocking Breach of Trust

In a shocking twist that has sent ripples through Bollywood, Vedhika Prakash Shetty, the former personal assistant to actress Alia Bhatt, has been arrested by the Juhu police in Bengaluru on charges of fraud and forgery. Shetty is accused of embezzling ₹76 lakh (approximately $90,000 USD) from Alia Bhatt and her production house, Eternal Sunshine Productions, through a series of fake invoices and forged transactions spanning nearly two years.

How the Fraud Was Uncovered

The case came to light after Alia Bhatt and her mother, Soni Razdan, grew suspicious of a particular invoice submitted by Shetty for an event payment. Upon scrutiny, they discovered that the contact number listed on the invoice belonged not to the vendor, but to Shetty’s personal friend. Alarmed, they conducted a thorough audit of Bhatt's finances, which revealed substantial financial irregularities and fake documentation.

Timeline of Events

• May 2022 – August 2024: Period during which Shetty allegedly created fraudulent invoices and forged Alia Bhatt’s signature to transfer money under the guise of professional expenses.

• January 23, 2025: A formal FIR was filed after the audit confirmed financial embezzlement.

• Following the complaint, Shetty fled, reportedly moving across Mangaluru, Rajasthan, and Pune, before being apprehended at her sister’s home in Bengaluru in July 2025.

• She has now been brought back to Mumbai, where she is undergoing legal proceedings under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including criminal breach of trust, cheating, and forgery.

  
  

Bollywood Reacts to the Scandal

Although Alia Bhatt has remained silent on the issue publicly, those close to her describe the betrayal as deeply personal. Industry insiders are stunned by the scale and duration of the fraud, especially since Shetty had been a trusted aide managing both Alia’s finances and work-related logistics.

This case brings to light a growing concern in celebrity circles about financial mismanagement and internal fraud. It has prompted several production houses to re-evaluate their internal auditing systems, especially in personal and small-scale setups.

Beyond the glitz of Bollywood, this incident is a glaring reminder of how trusted insiders can exploit access to personal accounts and sensitive information. It highlights the importance of:

• Regular internal audits

• Cross-verification of all payments and vendor details

• Due diligence before onboarding personal staff