Delhi man arrested for allegedly duping 15 aspiring models of Rs 25 lakh by posing as casting director

A 22-year-old model has been arrested for posing as the casting director of a fake modelling agency, and duping aspiring models by promising them roles in short films, fashion events and photoshoots.

Police said that the man, Shubham alias Viraj Roy, duped as many as 15 aspiring models, a dozen of whom were women belonging to Delhi, for a sum amounting to Rs 25 lakh since June this year, a Hindustan Times report stated.

Roy was arrested from his residence in Delhi’s Uttam Nagar, police said.

Roy allegedly used to con aspiring models by asking them to share their bank details and passwords for mobile banking. Police said that he was inspired by a Hindi film.

As per Devender Arya, deputy commissioner of police (southwest), Roy’s wife who herself is a struggling model participated with her husband in the crime. She had not been arrested till 9 August evening.

“Her wife joined the probe. Her role will be examined and further action will be taken as per law,” Arya said. Four mobile phones, five SIM cards and several plastic cards belonging to the victims were seized from Roy.

Vasant Kunj North police station registered three separate cases on the basis of complaints by the 15 victims.

As per NDTV , the DCP said that Roy himself desired to become an actor and started his modeling career five years back. After a couple of years in Mumbai when he was unable to get good projects, he started a fake casting agency ‘Dream for Success’ and named himself as Viraaz, the director.

Police said Roy posted his contact numbers and his agency details on various social media platforms and used to meet models in hotels located at Mahipalpur to sign contracts with them, guaranteeing them that he had influential contacts with industry-members. When the complainants reported at the hotels, he would keep their mobile phones and ask them to wait in their rooms. Then, he would then transfer money from their accounts through UPI to his bank account.

(With inputs from Press Trust of India)