A sessions court in Mumbai has granted anticipatory bail to popular film producer Manish Trehan, known for the series 'Jamtara', and his brother-in-law Satwant Singh. The duo was facing arrest in a cheating case where they allegedly defrauded a businessman of a staggering ₹2.5 crore in a 2022 business deal.
The Allegations: A Fake Amazon Prime Film Project
The case, registered in October 2023, stems from a complaint filed by Khar-based businessman Nihar Lud, aged 40, who runs a finance service firm. According to the police, Lud met Trehan in October 2022 through a mutual contact. Trehan introduced himself as the director of an advertising editing company, Click On RM Pvt Ltd.
He allegedly convinced Lud to invest ₹2 crore for business expansion, promising to return the money with interest within a year. Trusting this assurance, Lud transferred the amount via an online transaction.
The Escalation and The Written Agreement
When Lud later asked for repayment, Trehan reportedly told him the money had been invested in a film project that was nearly complete, with only editing work left. He claimed this film was slated to be featured on Amazon Prime. Trehan then asked for an additional ₹50 lakh to cover these final costs, promising swift returns upon the film's sale to the OTT platform.
On October 5, 2023, Nihar Lud transferred the additional ₹50 lakh. This time, Trehan provided a written loan agreement acknowledging the total debt of ₹2.5 crore. He also issued four post-dated cheques as assurance, which were to be cashed by March 31, 2024. The police claim that Satwant Singh allegedly impersonated an Amazon officer to mislead the complainant during this process.
Court Proceedings and The Bail Order
The public prosecutor strongly objected to the anticipatory bail application (ABA), arguing that custodial interrogation was necessary for search and seizure operations at the accused's residential and office premises for a detailed investigation.
However, Advocate Karan Mehta, representing Manish Trehan, contended before the court that the complaint was an attempt to criminalize a purely civil business transaction. He argued the case was based on documentary evidence and that most of the investigation was already complete.
Additional Sessions Judge Ashwini Kasture, in the bail order, noted that the accused had given notice of his presence for investigation and was cooperating. The court stated, "The accused submitted that he is a resident of Mumbai and therefore, he will not abscond. He is ready to cooperate for investigation purposes. Under such circumstances, I am inclined to grant him bail."
The court held that custodial interrogation was unnecessary and granted bail on a ₹25,000 bond and ₹10,000 cash security.
The case highlights the risks in high-stakes business and film financing deals, where promises of lucrative OTT platform partnerships can be used to lure investors. The court's decision to grant bail suggests it found merit in the defense's argument of the dispute having a civil nature at this stage of the probe.
