In a case reminiscent of the plot of Ayushmann Khurrana’s film Dream Girl, a 22-year-old man has been arrested in Bhopal for deceiving numerous individuals by impersonating a woman online. Ashu Mehra, who also goes by the names Ajay or Chhotu Mehra, used voice modulation to mimic a woman’s voice and manipulated his victims into sending him money.
Mehra was apprehended after a victim, Aman Namdev, lodged a police complaint on June 4. Namdev had connected with a woman named Shivani Raghuvanshi on Instagram. Though they never met in person, Shivani allegedly pressured Namdev into marriage. When Namdev refused, Shivani threatened to take her own life. Soon after, a man named Ashu Mehra, claiming to be Shivani’s “Guru bhai” (brother), informed Namdev that Shivani had tried to commit suicide and needed money for treatment. Fearing for her safety, Namdev transferred Rs70,000 to Mehra.
Upon investigating the case, the police uncovered that Ashu Mehra was behind the scam. He confessed to being inspired by Dream Girl, where the protagonist secures a job by speaking in a woman’s voice. Mehra had created multiple fake female profiles on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Using these profiles, he would strike up conversations with men, manipulate them emotionally, and extort money by inventing fabricated crises such as suicide attempts.
Mehra is believed to have targeted numerous victims, collecting a substantial amount of money, which he used for personal indulgence. The police are now investigating further to identify more victims who may have been duped.
This case underscores the growing risks of social media scams, where individuals are often manipulated for financial gain. Authorities have cautioned users to verify the authenticity of online acquaintances and be cautious before transferring money in such situations.
