Mumbai: TN techie held for creating fake Instagram profile of director Sriram Raghavan, luring aspiring actresses

The techie allegedly interacted with aspiring actresses, asking them to take part in photo shoots as part of ‘auditions’ for an upcoming web series with scenes involving nudity.

Director Sriram Raghavan

The Mumbai police arrested a 31-year-old man from Tamil Nadu on Wednesday for allegedly creating a fake Instagram profile of writer and director Sriram Raghavan and interacting with aspiring actresses, asking them to take part in photo shoots as part of ‘auditions’ for an upcoming web series with scenes involving nudity. He has been remanded to police custody till Friday.

Raghavan, a National Award-winning director known for directing movies like ‘Andhadhun’ and ‘Badlapur’, had approached the Versova police station in March this year, following which an FIR was registered against an unknown person.

“The director alleged that someone was interacting with aspiring models and actresses by creating his fake profiles on Instagram as well as Facebook for a year. At first, he ignored the information but after receiving multiple complaints, he decided to approach the police,” a police official from the Versova police station said.

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Raghavan told the police that he has a Facebook account but he is not present on any other social media platform. In March, an aspiring actress contacted him and told him that a person impersonating him on Facebook chatted with her and offered her a role in a web series.

The imposter allegedly told the woman that there are “proper nudity scenes” in the web series for which she will have to do a photo shoot. The imposter further provided a fake email id of the director and asked her to contact photographers, she said.

The director alerted the woman that it was a fake profile and later approached the police, providing links to the fake profiles.

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Based on technical evidence, the accused Shanmuga Thangavel was recently traced to Tiruchengode in Tamil Nadu on September 27. He has been booked under sections 419 (cheating by impersonation) of the Indian Penal Code and 66 C (identity theft) of the IT Act. The police are now searching for the women who may have been duped by him.

The accused holds a degree in Computer Science.

Jayprakash S Naidu

Jayprakash S Naidu is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently serving as the state correspondent for Chhattisgarh. With an extensive career in frontline journalism, he reports on the political, security, and humanitarian landscape of Central India. Expertise and Experience Specialized Conflict Reporting: Jayprakash is a leading voice on the Maoist/Naxalite conflict in the Bastar region. His reporting provides a critical, ground-level view of: Internal Security: Tracking high-stakes encounters, surrender programs for senior Maoist leaders, and the establishment of security camps in formerly inaccessible "heartland" villages. Tribal Rights & Displacement: Investigative reporting on the identity and land struggles of thousands of displaced tribals fleeing conflict zones for neighboring states. Governance & Bureaucratic Analysis: He consistently monitors the evolution of Chhattisgarh as it marks 25 years of statehood, covering: Electoral Politics: Analyzing the shift in power between the BJP and Congress and the impact of regional tribal movements. Public Policy: Reporting on landmark infrastructure projects (e.g., mobile connectivity in remote zones) and judicial interventions, such as High Court rulings on civil and family law. Diverse Investigative Background: Prior to his current focus on Chhattisgarh, Jayprakash held reported from Maharashtra, where he specialized in: Crisis & Disaster Management: Notable for his extensive coverage of the Cyclone Tauktae barge tragedy (P-305) and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on frontline personnel. Legal & Human Rights: Investigative pieces for platforms like Article-14, focusing on police accountability and custodial deaths across India. Environmental & Social Justice: Authoritative reporting on the Hasdeo Aranya forest protests and the approval of major tiger reserves, highlighting the tension between industrial mining and environmental preservation. ... Read More

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