JAIPUR: In a bizarre attempt to extract money from his family, a 22-year-old city-based engineer allegedly staged his own kidnapping and used AI-generated photographs and videos to make the abduction appear real.Police said he sent his family fabricated visuals showing him being held captive and admitted to a hospital, claiming he would be released by his kidnappers only after a ransom was paid.The deception unravelled after Bhankrota police tracked down Deepak Kumar Mali to a location near Laxman Jhula in Rishikesh following a search across multiple cities.Investigators traced his movements through Jaipur, Mathura, Ujjain, Delhi, Haldwani, Nainital, Haridwar and Rishikesh, analysing footage from around 200 CCTV cameras before finally locating him Friday.Bhankrota SHO Deepak Tyagi said the accused, an engineer by profession adept at using AI tools, first created a fake video depicting himself writhing in pain as a syringe is injected into his body. He generated several such AI images and videos, which he sent from his mobile phone to his relatives, Tyagi said.‘Abduction was entirely fabricated’ The investigation began Tuesday after a formal complaint from his brother-in-law, who told police that Mali, employed with an Information and Technology software company and working on a specialised project, had allegedly been kidnapped by unidentified people.DCP (West) Prashant Kiran said a special team was formed under SHO Tyagi, which verified information provided by the complainant and family members and used technical surveillance to map Mali’s movements.When investigators eventually traced him to Rishikesh and examined his mobile phone and WhatsApp messages, they found that the alleged kidnapping had been entirely fabricated.Police said Deepak had borrowed money from friends to fund his personal indulgences but was unable to repay his debts. He allegedly concocted the abduction story to obtain money from his family, using AI-generated images and videos to lend credibility to his claims.Deepak is a native of Bari in Bijaynagar in Beawar district and a current resident of Pashchim Vihar, Bhankrota, Jaipur.
