Six arrested for threatening Telangana MLC with deepfake videos, demanding ₹5 crore

Six individuals were arrested by Narsingi police for attempting to extort money from Telangana Legislative Council member Mirza Rahmath Baig using deepfake videos and morphed photographs. The accused demanded ₹5 crore initially, but ultimately collected ₹4.7 lakh. The arrested persons, who are residents of Hyderabad, included Mohd Mohsin Khan, Fathima Begum alias Reema, Mohd Sameer, Mohd Zameer, Mohd Imran, and Syed Rehan.

The accused conspired to extort money from Baig due to financial difficulties and to make quick money. They threatened to circulate objectionable deepfake videos depicting Baig in an unfavorable manner, warning that failure to pay would harm his political and social reputation and put his life at risk. Police intercepted the group on November 5 while they were leaving Baig's office and arrested five of the accused.

The others involved in the conspiracy were reportedly procuring and using the manipulated content to threaten Baig through various social media accounts. Police are still searching for the remaining accused and identifying others involved in the scheme.