Actress Rukmini Vasanth fake bikini photo case: Accused say they did it for sadistic pleasure

Bengaluru: The three persons arrested in connection with the circulation of fake bikini videos and photographs of actress Rukmini Vasanth, who gained national attention for her role in the film Kantara: Chapter 2, have told police that they committed the act for sadistic pleasure.

All three accused come from well-educated backgrounds, police said on Saturday.

The accused have been identified as Ravikumar from Bagalkot, Chandrakanth from Thirthahalli, and Ranjith Kumar from Bengaluru.

Police have seized three high-end mobile phones allegedly used to create and circulate the deepfake photographs and videos. According to the police, all three accused are well educated and well placed in their respective professions.

Police said the first accused, 25-year-old Ravikumar, had completed a B.Sc. in Nursing and had started his own YouTube channel. His channel was recently monetised, and investigators said he sought to earn money by uploading deepfake videos of actresses to attract views.

The second accused, 25-year-old Ranjith Kumar, is a software professional earning an annual salary package of around Rs 20 lakh, according to the police.

Investigators said he possessed strong technical skills and allegedly confessed to creating deepfake videos of actresses and uploading them on social media for amusement and sadistic pleasure.

The third accused, 33-year-old Chandrakanth, is a Chartered Accountant (CA) employed with a reputed company and drawing a lucrative salary package. Police said he also allegedly confessed to uploading obscene videos of actresses for sadistic pleasure.

The accused have been remanded to judicial custody, and further investigation is underway.

According to the police, the social media accounts mentioned by the actress in her complaint to the Cyber Command, through which the morphed photographs and videos were circulated, were found to be fake. Investigators subsequently approached Meta seeking details, including the original URL IDs, addresses, and other information linked to the accounts.

After obtaining the details, police found that the addresses registered by the accused were false. The suspects were eventually traced through the URL IDs associated with the accounts.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed that they had used artificial intelligence tools to manipulate photographs and superimpose the actress’s image onto other pictures to create the fake content.

Police said the accused have confessed to the crime. They have been produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody. Further investigation is underway.

It may be recalled that Bengaluru Cyber Crime Police had registered an FIR against 29 social media accounts in connection with the circulation of fake bikini videos and photographs of actress Rukmini Vasanth.

The police have initiated stringent action against a total of 29 social media accounts. These include nine Instagram accounts, 14 X accounts, and six Facebook pages.

Cybercrime police have registered a case and launched an investigation under Sections 66C and 66D of the Information Technology Act, as well as Sections 75(3), 79, 336, 356, 351, 352, and 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

An FIR was registered by the actress recently against the accounts involved at the Bengaluru Cyber Crime Police Station. The actress had filed a complaint alleging that fake visuals were created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and deepfake technology by superimposing her face onto another person’s body.

In her complaint, she stated that the act had caused her severe embarrassment and was a deliberate attempt to tarnish her reputation and character.

A case has been registered under the provisions of the Information Technology (IT) Act against miscreants who allegedly created and disseminated the fabricated visuals using AI and deepfake technology, and an investigation has been initiated.

Earlier, Rukmini Vasanth reacted after AI-generated bikini photos and videos falsely claiming to feature her went viral on social media.

The actress clarified that the content is fake and urged people not to misuse AI for harmful activities.

Taking to her Instagram account, Rukmini Vasanth said that she and her team had come across manipulated images circulating online in her name.

“My team and I have come across certain AI-generated images being circulated online claiming to be me. I want to state clearly that these images are entirely fake and fabricated. The creation and circulation of such manipulated content is deeply irresponsible and a serious violation of privacy,” she added.

The actress also said that legal and cybercrime action was being initiated against those responsible for creating and spreading the fake content.

Speaking to the media during a private event in Bengaluru, Rukmini Vasanth revealed that she had already filed a complaint with the cyber police and expressed confidence that authorities would take strict action.

“AI should be used for good purposes and not for harmful activities. Not just actresses, but many other women are also facing problems because of this. I believe the police will take action in this matter,” she said.

She also appealed to the public not to share such fabricated content on social media.

Rukmini Vasanth is the daughter of the late Indian Army officer Colonel Vasanth Venugopal and acclaimed Bharatanatyam dancer Subhashini Vasanth.

Colonel Vasanth was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra—India’s highest peacetime military decoration—for his supreme bravery and sacrifice while fighting heavily armed militants in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir in 2007.

IANS