A 27-year-old Delhi resident, Sumit Sharma, was arrested by the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch on 28 May 2025 for allegedly creating over 100 AI-generated morphed nude photographs of an Ahmedabad woman and her mother, uploading them across multiple fake social media accounts to defame and harass the victims. The case marks one of the more disturbing applications of AI deepfake tools in a stalking and harassment context documented in Gujarat this year.

How the Harassment Unfolded

According to investigators, the complainant — a member of the ISKCON Hare Krishna sect — first came into contact with Sumit Sharma through Instagram, where he allegedly initiated conversations centred on religious topics. Sharma, a resident of Kartar Nagar in North East Delhi, was reportedly engaged in ritual-related work and posted religious discourse videos on social media platforms.

When the complainant declined his attempts to deepen the friendship, the accused allegedly turned to online stalking. Between December 2025 and 6 April, an unidentified person — subsequently identified as Sharma — allegedly created three fake Instagram accounts using her photographs as profile pictures, along with a YouTube channel in her name.

The AI Deepfake Method

Investigators said Sharma downloaded photographs of the complainant and her mother from her Instagram profile and used multiple websites — reportedly found by searching 'AI Remove Clothes' on Google — to generate morphed nude images and videos using artificial intelligence tools. The manipulated content was then uploaded on the fake accounts alongside obscene text designed to damage her reputation.

By the time of his arrest, police said between 8 and 10 fake accounts had allegedly been created across platforms including X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, with more than 100 AI-generated morphed photographs traced to the accused.

Charges and Legal Action

The case was registered at the Cyber Crime Police Station under Sections 78(2) and 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 66(C) and 67 of the Information Technology Act, covering online stalking, impersonation, and the publication of obscene material. Police Inspector M.H. Bhetariya and his team used technical analysis and human intelligence to trace the accused before travelling to Delhi to make the arrest.

Mission Cyber Rakshika and Public Advisory

The arrest was carried out under 'Mission Cyber Rakshika: #SecureHerSpace', an initiative launched by the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch to protect women from cyber offences including deepfake profiles, AI-morphed content, blackmail, and digital exploitation. Following the arrest, the branch issued a public advisory urging citizens to keep their social media profiles private and exercise caution when connecting with unknown individuals online.

As AI tools become increasingly accessible, investigators and digital rights advocates warn that cases of this nature are likely to rise unless platform-level safeguards and public awareness keep pace.