Cinema VinesThe Bombay High Court has granted interim protection from arrest to Kuldeep Singh Champawat, a consultant linked to the Kartik Aaryan film Naagzilla, following an alleged financial irregularity case involving roughly ₹3.92 crore. The case centers on accusations that payments totalling ₹3,92,76,308 were made without adhering to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that the two production houses – Dharma Productions Private Limited and Mahaveer Jain Films Private Limited – had agreed upon.
Justice Prafulla S. Khubalkar delivered the order on 3 November 2026 while hearing Champawat’s anticipatory bail application. The FIR, registered at Mumbai’s D.N. Nagar Police Station on 26 September 2026, claims that the consultant was involved in the disbursement of funds that should have followed the SOP’s stipulated financial procedures.
Representing Champawat, advocate Niteen Pradhan argued that the consultant’s role was limited to advisory duties and that he had no authority to approve or release payments. He further pointed out that financial decisions were managed by chartered accountants and that Champawat was not part of the designated payment‑approval hierarchy. The court noted that the approval structure did not assign Champawat any specific role in authorising the transactions and also highlighted his clean criminal record.
While the High Court granted the interim protection, it directed Champawat to appear before the D.N. Nagar Police Station on 12 November 2026 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. He was also instructed to cooperate with the investigation and provide any documents requested by the authorities. The investigation into the alleged financial irregularities remains ongoing.
The ruling comes amid broader legal actions involving Naagzilla producers, who have faced multiple court cases over alleged misappropriation of funds amounting to ₹3.92 crore. The court’s decision underscores the importance of adhering to agreed financial protocols within the film industry.
