Vijay V Singh, TNN, Jun 1, 2010, 02.20am IST

MUMBAI: The Amboli police has arrested an actor and fashion photographer for conning several people connected to the film industry.

According to investigators, Apurva Davda alias Jacky Malhotra allegedly hired high-end camera equipment to shoot the portfolio of aspiring female models. “But he never bothered to return it. Instead, he fled along with it to the US,’’ an officer said.

“Apurva is from a well-to-do family in Lokhandwala. Surprisingly, when we informed the family members about his arrest, no one came forward to bail him out. He will be in police custody till June 1,’’ the officer said.

Incidentally, Apurva has also been booked in a separate case of theft registered at the Saki Naka police station, where one of his girlfriends, an air hostess, filed a complaint alleging that he had stolen money from her residence.

“Apurva had allegedly told the victim that he would help her make a career in the modelling industry. He then moved into her house and managed to clean it out,’’ another investigator said. “When Apurva learnt about the complaint, he fabricated facts and wrote a letter to the victim’s employer asking him to dismiss her from service,’’ he added. The Saki Naka police has decided to take his custody in the case later.

Apurva started his career as a model and has acted in a couple of movies. “He is known for befriending upcoming models and then cheat them. He used his credentials as a fashion photographer and promised them to hand out impressive portfolios. He also promised jobs for victims in the fashion industry,’’ a senior police official said.

Police officials stated that Apurva had hired the camera equipment from a Amboli-based trader. “He had shot portfolios of models at different locations and put their photos on his website. He would charge fee for his services and had very close relationship with some of the models,’’ an official added.

A police officer said that Apurva had confessed that he had exploited some of the models after promising them assignments and role in films but when he failed to keep up his word he fled to the US. After his return he was arrested by assistant-police inspector Rajendra Kane when he came to meet his friend at Andheri.

Zonal deputy commissioner of police K M M Prasanna, “We have recovered the camera and trying to ascertain facts.’’

Source

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Curtains-for-con-shutterbug-who-cheated-models/articleshow/5996423.cms