The Mumbai Crime Branch arrested a 33-year-old man yesterday for allegedly cheating and blackmailing a struggling female assistant director-writer by posing as Bollywood director Ayan Mukerji
Mohd Shoeb Jethwa
The Mumbai Crime Branch arrested a 33-year-old man yesterday for allegedly cheating and blackmailing a struggling female assistant director-writer by posing as Bollywood director Ayan Mukerji and promising to give her a chance in the film industry.
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The accused, identified as Mohd Shoeb Mohd Iqbal Jethwa, has been handed over to the Malad police.
Filmy chakkar
The 27-year-old had lodged a complaint on September 28 against one Sahil Menon alias Sahil Bhatt for falsely claiming to be close to Mukerji and then trying to extort money from her by threatening to morph her photos into pornographic ones and putting them up on social media platforms.
Also Read: Mumbai: Complaint filed against director 'Ayan Mukerji' for demanding sexual favours
As per her statement, the accused sent her a friend request on Facebook, claiming to be Ayan Mukerji, in October 2015. They started chatting and later, he promised to give her work, and asked her to meet a friend of his, Sahil Menon, in Bandra. When she met him, she got suspicious as his voice and that of the Ayan Mukerji she had spoken over the phone sounded the same. When she asked Menon the same, he left in a huff.
Truth comes out
Later, the accused as Mukerji sent her an SMS, asking her to deposit money in a given account for the purchase of an iPhone, which the victim refused to do and found out about a complaint registered in Oshiwara police station against a man claiming to be Ayan for demanding sexual favours from another woman. She contacted the woman as well as Mukerji himself and realised she was dealing with an imposter.
Read Story: Hrithik Roshan: My target isn't Kangana; it is the imposter
A few days ago, the accused again contacted the victim, asking for money and threatening to put up her morphed photos online if she didn’t pay. She then lodged a complaint with the Malad police.
“We have charged Jethwa under IPC sections 385 (putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation). He will be produced in court tomorrow (Friday),” said an officer.
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