How Mangaluru woman fell for Facebook ‘KBC Lottery’ and lost ₹7.76 lakh

Faridabad: A 19-year-old college student in Haryana’s Faridabad died by suicide after being allegedly blackmailed with obscene, AI-generated images and videos of his three sisters, police said on Sunday.

The victim, identified as Rahul Bharti, a second-year student of DAV College, had been visibly distressed for nearly two weeks before his death. His father, Manoj Bharti, said Rahul had withdrawn socially, stopped eating properly, and spent most of his time in his room.

According to the family, unknown persons allegedly hacked Rahul’s phone and used artificial intelligence to create morphed obscene visuals of him and his sisters. The accused, identified as ‘Sahil’ in Rahul’s chat records, demanded ₹20,000 to delete the material and threatened to circulate it online if he did not comply.

In the final chat exchange, ‘Sahil’ allegedly goaded Rahul to end his life, even suggesting ways to do so. Distressed and fearful, Rahul reportedly consumed poison around 7 pm on Saturday. He was rushed to a private hospital, where he died during treatment.

“Someone sent obscene videos and photos of my daughters to Rahul’s phone and threatened to make them viral. My son couldn’t bear the harassment and took his own life,” said his father, breaking down.

The family suspects the involvement of another man, Neeraj Bharti, who had spoken to Rahul just hours before the tragedy. Rahul’s mother, Meena Devi, alleged that Neeraj—her brother-in-law—along with a woman, conspired to torment the family following a domestic dispute six months ago.

Based on the family’s complaint, the police have registered a case against two accused.

“Rahul had consumed poison and died during treatment. A case has been filed on his father’s complaint. The mobile phone is being examined, and further action will be taken based on the investigation,” said Investigating Officer Sunil Kumar.

Hyderabad: Former Indian cricket captain and senior Congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin was sworn in as a minister in the Telangana cabinet on Friday. Governor Jishnu Dev Verma administered the oath of office at Raj Bhavan this morning.

Azharuddin’s induction fills a long-pending vacancy and marks the first Muslim representation in the current Congress-led cabinet.

The move has, however, drawn political reactions. The Opposition has termed it an electoral strategy ahead of the November 11 bypoll in the Jubilee Hills constituency, which has nearly 30% Muslim voters.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) objected to the timing, claiming that the appointment violates the Model Code of Conduct. BJP leaders wrote to the Chief Electoral Officer, alleging that inducting a minister who had recently sought a ticket from the same constituency amounts to an attempt to influence voters.

Defending the decision, Telangana Congress chief Mahesh Goud said the government was merely fulfilling its commitment to social justice and minority inclusion.

“The Congress had promised cabinet representation for minorities. Even in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, governments always included a minority face. We are simply correcting a long-overdue imbalance,” he said.

Azharuddin, who is not yet a member of either the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council, has been nominated to the Council under the Governor’s quota. However, the nomination is still awaiting the Governor’s approval. He must secure membership in the legislature within six months to continue as a minister.

Taking a dig at the BJP, Goud pointed out that the party had once appointed a Rajasthan election candidate as minister who later lost to the Congress in the polls.

Mangaluru: Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker U T Khader on Wednesday invited anyone accusing him or his office of corruption or irregularities to meet him in person and submit their complaints in writing at his Bengaluru office.

Reacting to allegations made by former Speaker and MP Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri and Mangalore City North MLA Dr Y Bharath Shetty, Khader told reporters at the Mangaluru International Airport that those with doubts could visit him on Thursday.

“Anyone with questions can come to my office and give their complaints in writing. I am ready for any discussion. The Speaker’s post is a constitutional position; I cannot keep reacting to allegations made from anywhere in the state. If they submit their queries formally, I will clarify,” he said.

Khader said he had taken note of the accusations but refused to be distracted.

“There is no cure for jealousy. Development works will continue. I will uphold the dignity of the Speaker’s post and the Legislative Assembly,” he remarked.

Responding to Dr Shetty’s claim that a lounge in Vidhana Soudha had been turned into a massage parlour, Khader said providing facilities for legislators was part of his duty.

“It is my responsibility to ensure MLAs get all the facilities they need. I will continue to do so,” he said.

He added that political allegations were not new to him.

“If they find pleasure in making allegations, I am fine with that. I have faced such charges since my early days as an MLA. The people in my constituency know who I am,” he said.

On speculation about a possible cabinet reshuffle and rumours of being given new responsibilities, Khader clarified that no such proposal had come to his notice.