MUMBAI: The drama has moved off-screen and into the courtroom Planet Marathi’s founder Akshay Bardapurkar now faces a real-life script of forgery, fraud, and financial conspiracy after the Bombay High Court ordered the registration of an FIR against him and three others.
A Bench of Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ashwin Ankhad, ruling on Criminal Writ Petition No. 4170 of 2025 filed by former partner Soumya Vilekar, directed Mulund Police to book Bardapurkar, casting director Manali Dixit, notary Dodha Doulat Ahire, and Dhaval Shah.
At the heart of the case is a forged partnership deed dated 3 October 2023, allegedly bearing Vilekar’s signature, photograph, and a fake notarisation. She claims she never signed the document, which was used to approach Axis Bank, Deutsche Bank, and others to secure loans and dispose of intellectual property, all without her knowledge.
Vilekar maintains that her only valid exit was through a Deed of Admission-cum-Retirement dated 15 January 2024, and accuses Bardapurkar of fabricating the earlier deed to siphon funds. She says she was left battling multiple litigations originally aimed at the company, exposing her to reputational and financial harm.
“This is not merely forged paperwork, it’s a premeditated act of fraud and conspiracy,” Vilekar said, adding that Bardapurkar had diverted company funds for personal expenses and unauthorised purposes.
The fallout for Planet Marathi has been severe. Its offices have remained shut for months, the app has ceased operations, and employees have resigned en masse. The company is also facing NCLT liquidation proceedings, while Bardapurkar himself is entangled in multiple legal battles:
. Rs 87 lakh cheque bounce case filed by Aayush Shah
. Rs 20 lakh dishonour case filed by Mausam Shah
. Personal insolvency proceedings by Verse
. Several Section 138 NI Act cases across Mumbai, Pune, and beyond
The High Court’s intervention comes after Vilekar alleged that Mulund Police failed to act despite her submitting documentary evidence. The ruling marks another twist in a saga that has seen Planet Marathi, once touted as a Marathi OTT disruptor, now teetering between financial collapse and criminal scrutiny.
As the courtroom script unfolds, Bardapurkar, once celebrated as a cultural entrepreneur now finds himself at the centre of a story where the plot revolves around liabilities, litigation, and law enforcement.
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