Man hacks woman’s phone, sends defamatory messages to family, prospective grooms in Ahmedabad

The Bapunagar police have registered an FIR against a 35-year-old man for allegedly hacking the mobile phone of a woman acquaintance over a prospective marriage, and for sending defamatory messages about her to her family members, friends, and potential suitors.

As per the FIR filed by Sonal (37) (name changed), a resident of Bapunagar, the accused, identified as Darshil Shah (35), residing in Sola, allegedly accessed her phone without her consent and misused her personal data.

In her complaint, Sonal stated that she came in contact with Darshil through an online platform in February 2025. The two began communicating regularly and discussed marriage. They would speak often and occasionally visit each other’s houses and got close.

According to her, Darshil told her that since she was educated, she could help him with his work. However, after some time, she discovered that he had hacked her mobile phone and was accessing her private conversations. “When she confronted him and refused to continue the relationship, he started threatening her and making defamatory remarks about my character,” said the police officer.

Sonal further alleged that Darshil contacted her younger brother and spoke ill of her, even attempting to sabotage her marriage proposals. On October 4, Darshil allegedly sent WhatsApp messages from an international number to her brother, making false and obscene claims about her. He also forwarded similar messages to her relatives and friends, tarnishing her reputation.

Despite repeated warnings from her to stop, the accused allegedly continued his harassment. “The accused defamed her by spreading false information, hacking her phone, and sharing her personal conversations with others,” she stated in her complaint.

Based on her statement and screenshots of the messages she submitted as evidence, the police have registered a case against Darshil Shah under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for cyberstalking, criminal intimidation, and defamation.

Inspector S G Khambhala of Bapunagar Police Station confirmed the registration of the FIR and said that the investigation has been initiated. “We have taken cognisance of the cyber intrusion and defamatory content shared by the accused. Technical analysis of the phone and digital records is underway,” said Khambhala