The city police on Wednesday arrested a man who masqueraded as an ad agent and tricked an aspiring actor into paying Rs 25,000 for TV ad roles.

The artist realised she had been cheated when she tried calling him several times and found the number switched off. Police said she was following up with him on the roles in TV ads he offered her.

The actress has been identified as Ropa Manakoor (34), while the accused is Nikil Gowda. 

through social media to get work in the entertainment industry. Gowda claimed that he worked in cinema and TV shows and said he could find   roles for Manakoor in ad shoots.

Gowda said he takes Rs 40,000 as payment, but the actress had only Rs 25,000. Police said Gowda met her on May 18 at her rented house in Ganesh Block, Nandini Layout, and told her he booked roles for her in Davanam Jewellers and Pothys saree store. Manakoor could claim these roles after payment, he told her.

Though the two had exchanged numbers, Manakoor could not contact Gowda after paying him. Afraid that she had been cheated, Manakoor filed a complaint with the  Nandini layout police station on August 21.

Police have booked Gowda for cheating and dishonesty inducing delivery of property.