The accused asked for her bank account details, including the passwords, under the guise of sorting out her final contract. (File)
A 25-year-old model from Himachal Pradesh, who had come to Delhi on July 15, was duped by a man posing as a director with an ad agency, on the pretext of offering her a ‘lucrative modelling assignment’. While nine other women have alleged that the accused also got them to Delhi but did not provide them with jobs, police said only one FIR has been filed so far on the basis of the 25-year-old’s complaint.
Police said the woman was put up at a five-star hotel in Vasant Kunj and promised Rs 1 lakh a day for a three-day modelling shoot. The accused asked for her bank account details, including the passwords, under the guise of sorting out her final contract. Eventually, police said, he managed to withdraw Rs 40,000 from her account.
Speaking to The Indian Express, the woman, Renu Kashav, said, “He did not produce any documents, but my manager had vouched for him. I left for Delhi with an assistant director from Chandigarh, thinking we would be shooting for an international lingerie brand.”
Police have registered a case of cheating at Vasant Kunj (North) police station, but no arrest has been made so far. The accused, identified as Virag, is being traced through his mobile phone, police said.
“The accused called the women ‘budding models’ and promised them lucrative contacts. He promised to connect them with top advertising agencies and would then ask for their bank details, before withdrawing their money online,” said DCP (southwest) Devender Arya.
Police said Renu was accompanied by coordinators, assistant directors and other models, who were put up at two five-star hotels booked by the accused. They were initially told they would be working with a company called Sinduray, based in Nagaland but with international clients.
“We were asked to get our Aadhaar cards, bank account details, ATM pins and photographs. They also asked us to maintain at least Rs 5,000 in our bank accounts,” Renu said.
When she reached Delhi, she was asked to rest for an hour. He later asked them to join him in his room, where he installed the BHIM app in her mobile phone, the FIR states. “He took away our phones, bank details and ATM pins, and claimed he was making our final agreement.”