BENGALURU: Kannada actor and former reality show contestant Aishwarya Sindhogi has approached the police alleging sustained online harassment, claiming she has been receiving abusive comments and messages from fake social media accounts in what she suspects is a targeted campaign to defame her.She told Sanjaynagar police that an unidentified person has been posting defamatory comments and sending offensive messages that have damaged her reputation.Aishwarya has expressed suspicion that the harassment is being carried out by a person known to her and a family friend. She alleged that the suspect, a female family friend, may have created fake social media accounts to post abusive comments and send harassing messages.The actor told police that the online abuse has been affecting her personal and professional reputation as the brands she is associated with and her fans are watching the comments and sought strict legal action against the accused.She further stated that this is not the first time she has faced harassment by the same individual. A few years ago, after the death of her mother in 2020, she had lodged a complaint at the same police station, alleging that the person had harassed her through repeated phone calls and by stalking her.Aishwarya alleged that the comments on her social media accounts have been posted since February and she had provided the links and screenshots of those comments to the police. Speaking to TOI, she said, “It is basically about cyberbullying. When they do it on such digital media platforms, it is not acceptable. It is being done by only one profile across 20 to 30 digital media platforms. I suspect a person because the pattern is similar.” Since the FIR has been registered, the police are continuing the probe, she added.Based on the latest complaint, Sanjaynagar police have registered a case under section 66 C (punishment for identity theft) of the Information Technology Act and have begun an investigation to ascertain the identity behind the social media accounts and verify the allegations.
