An 18-year-old aspiring actress pursuing an engineering degree in Panvel has fallen prey to a cyber fraud racket, where she was lured with the promise of a role in a web series and later blackmailed with morphed obscene images. The victim, Ratanpriya Amit Singh, has lodged a formal complaint with the DN Nagar Police, seeking legal action against the accused.
According to police, Ratanpriya received a WhatsApp message on 11 June from a man identifying himself as Bhavesh, who claimed to be a producer associated with 'GM Studio'. He also mentioned a director named Rahul Patel and offered her a role in an upcoming web series. Believing the opportunity to be genuine, Ratanpriya shared her personal details, including her portfolio, Instagram profile, and YouTube links.
In the following days, Bhavesh maintained regular communication and even provided the storyline of the series over a phone call. He then introduced her to a man named Shivam Agarwal, who was allegedly cast opposite her in the project. Messages soon followed from an Instagram ID named 'shivam jay', further reinforcing the illusion of a professional setup.
Bhavesh then asked her to transfer ₹2,000 for flight bookings, which she paid via Google Pay. On 13 June, he again demanded ₹3,000 for tickets and an agreement, followed by an additional ₹3,000 citing a medical emergency at home. In total, Ratanpriya transferred ₹7,836 to Bhavesh through her India Post Payments Bank account.
Later that day, Bhavesh suggested she meet Shivam in person to build rapport for the upcoming shoot. As advised, she met him at Metro INOX theatre in Churchgate. Interestingly, Shivam used the name 'Bhavesh' at the ticket counter. After the film, he dropped her at Andheri and left.
Soon after, Bhavesh called her, claiming Shivam had not returned home and was behaving erratically. When she refused to meet Shivam again, Bhavesh persisted. Growing suspicious of both individuals, Ratanpriya blocked Bhavesh’s number.
However, the situation escalated late on 15 June when Bhavesh sent her an obscene morphed photograph with her face superimposed and demanded ₹40,000. He threatened to send the image to her father and post it on social media if the money was not paid. After this, Ratanpriya blocked him again.
Bhavesh then messaged her on another number that she had earlier claimed belonged to her sister, repeating the threats. Despite blocking that number too, Ratanpriya continued to receive threats on both her mobile numbers on the night of 17 June. The caller instructed her to contact a specific number or face public defamation through leaked images.
Disturbed by the relentless blackmail and fearing for her safety and reputation, Ratanpriya finally approached the police and registered a case. In her complaint, she has named Bhavesh, Shivam Agarwal, and unidentified persons as accused, demanding strict legal action.
The DN Nagar Police have begun an investigation and are examining all digital evidence. Authorities have urged the public, especially young artists, to remain vigilant against such online scams masquerading as entertainment industry opportunities.