Bengaluru student accuses Bigg Boss 11 contestant Bandgi Kalra of cheating him via fake iPhone X ad on Instagram

A Bengaluru-based engineering student has accused former Bigg Boss 11 contestant Bandgi Kalra of cheating him with a fake advertisement to buy an iPhone X on her Instagram account. He has filed a complaint against the model and two-Delhi based firms, Different Collection and Nexafation.com, with Marathahalli police station.

The victim, named Yuvaraj Singh Yadav, had booked an iPhoneX which was offered on the advertisement posted by Kalra on her Instagram account through a WhatsApp mobile number mentioned in it.

As per the agreement, Yadav transferred Rs 13,000 to a Paytm account linked to 6359007813 but when he visited Kalra's Instagram, he found the particular advertisement missing from her account. He got suspicious about the deal but the seller assured him that the booked product will be delivered to him via BlueDart courier service.

Yadav got the courier on Wednesday and paid the remaining Rs 48,000 when he collected the parcel. However, he found a dummy phone when he opened the package and filed the complaint thereafter.

Marathahalli police inspector Sadiq Pasha, who is investigating the matter, told Deccan Chronicle that they have summoned Kalra in the cheating case.

"We have sent an email to Kalra and have summoned her. Though we are not sure of her exact involvement in the incident, she has promoted the product on her Instagram account. Though she has deleted the post, the victim has submitted the screenshot," Pasha said, adding that they suspect many more people may have got cheated in a similar way since Kalra has over five lakh followers on her Instagram.

Pasha further added that they have given three days to Kalra to appear before them and failing to do so shall send a team to arrest her.

Speaking to the New Indian Express about the incident, Yadav said, "I have been cheated. Upon the arrival of the package, I tried to contact them (firms and actress). There was no response. Then, when I told them that I have filed a police complaint, they asked me to withdraw the case and threatened to file a counter-complaint against me for blackmailing them. The actress, however, has not responded to my messages. I have borrowed money from many people to buy the phones."