After being threatened by and harassed in Mumbai, India, two men posing as police officers, a Hollywood actress took her own life.
The 28-year old actress, whose identity has not been revealed, attended a rave with several of her friends at a glitzy hotel in the affluent Mumbai neighbourhood of Santacruz West on December 20.
Two men approached her at the party, pretending to be officers of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), and threatened her with arrest for taking illegal drugs.
The actress was then required to pay several thousand pounds as bribes in order to resolve the matter.
After allegedly receiving multiple harassing calls, the actress was found dead in her Jogeshwari home, Mumbai on December 23.
Two suspects were arrested by Amboli police, Suraj Padesi (32), and Pravin Walimbe (28), in Mumbai on Christmas Day. They are accused of suicide abetment and impersonating public officials, criminal intimidation, and criminal conspiracy.
A 28-year-old actress attended a party at Santacruz West, an expensive hotel in Mumbai’s Santacruz West, with her friends on December 20, (stock photo of Mumbai nightlife).
“The accused threatened to” [charge]Manjunath, deputy police commissioner said the case involved an actor and their friends.
“The actress and her friends plead for the settlement of the case, following which fake Narcotics Control Bureau officers (NCB), demanded money.
“They kept calling and harassing her after she made the sudden decision to do something drastic.”
According to police, the actress was discovered in her home by officers after receiving a call from a woman threatening her life.
According to police, a friend of the victim claimed that she was feeling panicky and extreme stress after being called by people urging her money for the fake officers.
After allegedly receiving multiple phone calls from men harassing her about the money, the actress was found dead in her Jogeshwari home, Mumbai on December 23. (stock photo of Mumbai).
The friend said the police officers had tried to extort the actress for 400,000 rupees, equivalent to around £3,990), but later said they would settle for 200,000 rupees (£1,995).
The actress was originally from West Bengal and lived in a rented apartment. She had struggled financially following her early successes in Bhojpuri language films.
Police are continuing their investigation into the case as they suspect the men in custody also had help from two other individuals, one of which is believed to be Asir Kazi, a friend of the deceased according to The Indian Express.
After receiving this statement, the NCB clarified that both suspects currently in custody were not connected to the NCB.