HYDERABAD: A Tollywood actress and Bigg Boss contestant has been booked for allegedly cheating a London-based divorced software professional of Rs 9.35 crore on the pretext of marrying him. Three of her family members have also been charged with fraud by the Central Crime Station (CCS) police who have registered a case under Section 318 (cheating) of the BNS.According to the police, the victim was visiting his family in Hyderabad in 2018 when he met the accused through a common friend. She claimed she was pursuing her education in the US. Within two months, the two became friends, and eventually the woman allegedly promised to marry him, assuring him that his divorcee status was not a problem.“Once she accepted the proposal, she told the victim that there was some issue with her H-1B visa. She also told him about a pending education loan she had taken for her master’s in the US,” said a cop, adding, “Claiming that her father had stopped supporting her financially and that she wanted to pursue a career in films, she sought monetary help from the victim.”According to the complainant, he not only funded her ambitions but also, over time, gave her money for various expenses, including buying a flat, gold, car etc. Apart from the actress, her family too allegedly took money from him. He said he did so because she had promised to marry him.“But whenever the complainant raised the subject of marriage, the accused made excuses to buy more time. Finally, when he insisted on arranging a meeting between the two families in July 2020, she turned down his proposal,” the cop said. “When the victim, shocked by the rejection, asked her to return the money she had taken, she began avoiding him.”On the insistence of a prominent Tollywood character artist who acted as a mediator, the accused later agreed to pay Rs 70 lakh and issued post-dated cheques. However, she failed to honour her commitment.Alleging that his ordeal did not end there, the complainant said he was subsequently contacted by the actress’s family in Nov 2020 who claimed she had slipped into depression after the break-up and urged him to meet her and revive the relationship.“On the actress’ request, the victim agreed to marry her and even met her father regarding this in Nov 2023. However, although the family initially agreed, they backed out again in July 2025,” the cop said.Since Dec 2025, there has been no communication from her.“Later, the victim got to know that the accused was in another relationship and that she had conspired to extort money from him,” the complaint stated.
