A 19-year-old college student, Rahul Bharti, from Faridabad, Haryana, reportedly died by suicide after allegedly being blackmailed with AI-generated morphed nude photos and videos of him and his three sisters. The accused hacked Rahul’s phone and sent they morphed visuals on WhatsApp, demanding Rs 20,000 and threatening to leak content on social media.
Unable to cope with the mental distress and humiliation for about two weeks, Rahul reportedly consumed pesticide on October 25 and died during treatment. Faridabad police have registered an FIR and are investigating two suspects, including a friend of the victim, named Sahil.
Blackmail and Distress
The alleged blackmail began roughly two weeks before Rahul’s death when his father, Manoj Bharti, discovered his son’s mobile phone had been hacked. Rahul started receiving AI-generated obscene pictures and videos on WhatsApp sent by a person named Sahil, who demanded money and threatened to expose the content if his demands were not met.
The relentless threats caused Rahul to withdraw socially, stop eating properly, and spend most of his time isolated in his room. Manoj described his son’s behaviour as profoundly changed and declining over the preceding fortnight.
Investigation and Police Response
Police have filed an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita based on a complaint by Rahul’s father. Officials said the accused likely used AI technology to morph images and videos of Rahul and his sisters.
The police are currently tracing the suspects through phone records, chat history, and social media activity. SHO Vishnu Kumar flagged the case as a serious example of cybercrime involving AI misuse and confirmed efforts to apprehend the accused soon. Manoj Bharti expressed suspicion about another friend, Neeraj, who was named in the complaint and was reportedly the last person Rahul spoke to on the phone before his death.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This tragic incident highlights the emerging dangers of AI technology being exploited to victimize individuals through deepfake content and digital blackmail. It underscores urgent needs for greater digital literacy, mental health support, and stricter laws around cybercrime and AI-generated abuse. Victims often suffer in silence amid growing online cruelty and exploitation.
News in Q&A
1. Who was Rahul Bharti and what happened?
Rahul Bharti was a 19-year-old BCom student living in Faridabad with his family. He reportedly died by suicide on October 25, 2025, after allegedly being blackmailed with AI-generated obscene images and videos of him and his sisters circulated by unknown accused.
2. What did the accused allegedly do to Rahul?
The accused allegedly hacked Rahul’s phone, created AI-generated morphed photos and videos, and sent them via WhatsApp demanding Rs 20,000. They threatened to make the content viral on social media if he did not comply.
3. When did the blackmail start and how did it affect Rahul?
The alleged blackmail began around two weeks before the tragic incident. Rahul became deeply distressed, stopped eating well, became withdrawn, and allegedly was repeatedly threatened to the extent that he was mentally tortured.
4. How did the police respond to this incident?
The police registered an FIR against two suspects, including Sahil and Neeraj Bharti, following a complaint from Rahul’s family. Authorities are using forensic analysis of Rahul’s phone, chat logs, and technical evidence to track down the perpetrators.
5. What larger issue does this incident reflect?
This case tragically highlights the growing misuse of AI technology to perpetrate cyber harassment through deepfake content, stressing urgent needs for legal frameworks, public awareness, and mental health support to combat such modern forms of cybercrime.
