A Tollywood actress and former Bigg Boss contestant has been booked for allegedly cheating a London-based divorced software professional of Rs 9.35 crore after promising to marry him, before repeatedly backing out, according to a report by The Times of India.

The Central Crime Station police also charged three of her family members with fraud and registered a case under Section 318 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the newspaper reported.

Police said the complainant met the actress in Hyderabad in 2018 while visiting family. The two were introduced through a common friend. She told him she was pursuing her education in the United States.

Within two months, the pair became friends, and she later allegedly agreed to marry him, assuring him that his status as a divorcee was not an issue.

"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," a police officer was quoted as saying. "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 complaint cited in the report, the man said he financed her ambitions and over time transferred money for multiple expenses, including the purchase of a flat, gold and a car. 

Police said members of the actress's family also allegedly took money from him, while the promise of marriage continued. The officer said that whenever the complainant raised the subject of marriage, the accused made excuses to buy more time. Finally, the officer added, when he insisted on arranging a meeting between the two families in July 2020, she turned down his proposal and began avoiding him.

The report said a prominent Tollywood character artist later acted as mediator, after which the actress allegedly agreed to pay Rs 70 lakh and issued post-dated cheques. She did not honour that commitment, police said. 

The complainant further alleged that the actress's family contacted him in November 2020, saying she had fallen into depression after the breakup and urging him to 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 officer said.

There has been no communication from the actress since December 2025, the report said. The complaint added that the man later learned she was in another relationship and had allegedly conspired to extort money from him. 
 

Published on: Apr 27, 2026 5:18 PM IST