Bollywood actor, wife held for duping people on pretext of work in advertisments

HYDERABAD: A Bollywood actor and his wife were arrested by the Cyberabad Cyber Crime police on Monday for their alleged involvement in the extortion of money under the pretext of offering modelling and acting opportunities. Cops have also seized Rs 15.6 lakh in cash, four Apple iPhones, a laptop, three SIM cards and their Aadhar cards. 

The accused were identified as Apurva Ashwin Dawda alias Armaan Arjun Kapoor, 47, a resident of Pune, and his wife Natasha Kapoor, 26, alias Nazish Memon. Armaan was in the modelling field for over 20 years and had acted in two Bollywood movies, including Tamannaah-starrer Chand Sa Roshan Chehra. 

Used names of Rashmika

The accused would conduct child modelling ramp walks in multiple cities in their pursuit of extorting money, they were apprehended on the basis of a complaint by a city resident. According to the police, the complainant visited Sarath Capital Mall at Kondapur with his family on December 1, 2022, to celebrate his daughter’s birthday.

They saw that the accused’s firm, Cosmopolitan Models agency, was conducting a ramp show at the same mall. The accused collected the contact details and shared a coupon code on WhatsApp asking to share pictures of a minor girl for the purpose of promoting her in modelling.

Subsequently, after a week, the accused asked the child to come for the final audition. After a few days, they informed the target family that the child had been selected for a popular biscuit advertisement with famous actor Rashmika Mandana, and demanded that they pay Rs 14.12 lakh for the photoshoot. The complainant paid the said amount and realised that they have been cheated only after he found that the main accused’s phone was switched off.

Meanwhile, Cyberabad police said have received multiple complaints against the accused. Cyberabad Commissioner of Police M Stephen Ravindra cautioned the public against transferring money to unknown persons, and blindly trusting online advertisements. He asked the public to approach the police if something is found suspicious or dubious, and immediately inform the police to prevent such offences.

MODUS OPERANDI
The accused would set up kiosks in malls across India and call job aspirants in the fashion sector from job portals to engage them for the purpose of conducting the ramp walk show in the mall with a promise to pay a handsome sum