Delhi HC Disposes of Ajay devgun starrer Drishyam 2 producer panorama studios Plea Without Relief

Mahesh Chandra - Delhi

In a big financial fraud case

Summary
In a recent development surrounding the overseas rights of the popular Bollywood film Drishyam 2, the Delhi High Court has disposed of a plea filed by Kumar Mangat Pathak, a well-known producer associated with the movie. The case revolves around allegations of a ?4.3 crore fraud linked to the Chinese distribution rights of the film.

Pathak had approached the court seeking to quash an FIR registered against him by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), which is currently investigating the matter. His counsel argued that the dispute was commercial in nature and had been wrongly presented as a criminal case. They emphasized that Mr. Pathak had already joined the investigation and was exploring other legal remedies.

Despite these submissions, the court, led by Justice Neena Krishna Bansal, chose not to keep the matter pending. Observing that the investigation was still at a preliminary stage, the bench declined to grant any interim relief. The court noted that the petitioner was already cooperating with the authorities, there was no need to intervene at this point.

The FIR, filed in June 2025, accuses Mr.kumar Mangat Pathak,  abhishek pathak,bharat sevak & 5 others of being part of a conspiracy involving forged documents and misrepresentation of rights. The complaint was lodged by a Delhi-based businessman who claims he was misled into investing ?4.3 crore in a deal that promised exclusive Chinese language release rights for Drishyam 2 across China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

According to the complaint, a  term sheet was presented by Bharat Sevak, a partner at Terra Bento Mines & Minerals, who allegedly posed as an authorized representative of Panorama Studios. The businessman was assured of business share in sales and introduced to key figures from the studio, including Mr. Pathak and his son Abhishek Pathak.
Bharat sevak has claimed payment of 15.75 crore out of 16.40 crore total transaction value to which panorama has denied & claimed to be rec'd in some other account. 

In his defense, Mr. Pathak has submitted documents to show that the authorization given to Mr. Sevak was limited and had expired well before the alleged agreement was signed. 

The quashhing petition included several pleas and a public notice issued by Panorama Studios, warning against unauthorized claims made by Mr. Sevak. Mr. Pathak’s legal team cited landmark judgments to argue that the FIR lacked substance and was driven by personal grievances.
Panorama studios is the main producer of Ajay devgun starrer movies. They have recently launched Son of  Sardaar 2 film.
While the High Court has not granted any relief at this stage, the matter remains under investigation. The case has drawn attention within the film industry, highlighting the complexities of international rights deals and the importance of clear contractual boundaries.