NEW DELHI: Actor Ranveer Singh played the character of a smooth and charming conman Ricky Bahl, who cons girls for a living and finally meets his match in the fun-filled romantic comedy movie Ricky Bahl Vs Ladies.
Unfortunately, a man in the national capital was so deeply inspired by the character that he started aping him in real life and played those tricks with women in public transport. Ankit Choudhary (30), the real life Ricky Bahl, was a serial cheater and womaniser, who preyed on female co-passengers during journeys.
The crime was revealed after a woman lodged a complaint at Delhi Cantt police station on January 9 detailing an encounter on January 8, where she boarded a bus from Dehradun to Delhi and a man, later identified as Ankit Choudhary, sat beside her and offered her food; ultimately duping her with promises of employment in the Delhi Cantt area.
“Under the influence of drugged food, Chaudhary stole Rs 23,000 via UPI transactions, and her jewellery, including a mangal sutra, ring, and earrings,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest) Rohit Meena.
During the probe, a police team traced the accused’s route, analysed CCTV footage, and conducted inquiries after which the accused Choudhary was apprehended near the Kashmiri Gate Bus Terminal.
Subsequent interrogation revealed his modus operandi of befriending co-passengers, particularly women, offering false promises of jobs or marriage.
“He cheated them on one pretext or the other by promising jobs or marriage. One leaflet having four Alprax tablets given to the complainant was recovered from his possession. Later at his instance, jewellery articles of the complainant i.e. one mangal sutra, ring, earrings and articles purchased from cheated money were recovered,” said the DCP.
Records of past crime
Choudhary’s criminal record includes a prior arrest in Bareilly, UP, for a similar offence in March 2023. He was released on bail in July 2023, only to resume fraudulent activities. The accused confessed to cheating multiple women in Ludhiana, Punjab, and Bareilly, UP.