NEW DELHI: A complaint was lodged at PS Cyber West by a second-year Delhi University student on December 13, who reported an incident involving a person she met on the online dating platform Bumble in early January 2024.
The individual introduced himself as a US-based freelance model visiting India for work. The two became friends and began chatting on social media.
According to the official, during their friendship, the victim shared private photographs and videos with the fraudster via Snapchat and WhatsApp.
The victim repeatedly asked to meet in person, but the accused continuously declined, citing various excuses. Eventually, the accused sent a private video of the victim to her on WhatsApp, demanding money.
He threatened to either leak her explicit photos and videos online or sell them if she did not comply.
The accused persistently pressured the victim, who, under the constant strain, made a small payment, explaining she was a student and did not have much money.
However, after receiving the payment, the accused continued demanding more money. This led to the victim feeling traumatised and she confided in her family before filing a cyber complaint.
A case was promptly registered at PS Cyber West, and an investigation was launched.
During the investigation, the accused was identified as 23-year-old Tushar Bisht, son of Ganesh Singh Bisht, a resident of Delhi.
A raid was carried out by the police in the Shakarpur area of East Delhi, leading to the arrest of Tushar Bisht.
According to DCP West, Vichitra Veer, during questioning, it was revealed that Bisht had been using a virtual international mobile number for the past two years.
This number, obtained through an application, allowed him to register on various chatting platforms like Bumble, Snapchat, and others.
Tushar portrayed himself as a US-based freelance model visiting Delhi for work and used the image of a Brazilian model as his profile picture.
He also posted his own photos and stories on fake IDs to make them appear authentic. He would connect with girls aged 18 to 30 on Bumble, and if they accepted his request, he would befriend them.
Once befriended, Tushar would ask the girls for nude photographs and videos. Many girls complied, sending him explicit content, which he saved by recording the screen.
Initially, he engaged in this activity for amusement, but over time, he began extorting money from the victims. If a girl refused to pay, he threatened to post their explicit content online or sell it.
During interrogation, Tushar admitted to communicating with hundreds of girls and storing their private photos and videos on his phone. He also confessed to extorting money from several girls by blackmailing them with their private material.
Tushar, who resides with his father, mother, and sister in Shakarpur, Delhi, comes from a middle-class family. His father works as a private driver, his mother is a homemaker, and his sister works in Gurugram.
He has completed a BBA and has been working as a technical recruiter at a Noida-based company for the past three years. Tushar reportedly engaged in these illegal activities out of greed and a desire to connect romantically with young women.