Kannada director Anish lured over car sale, kidnapped and assaulted; 11 including influencer Aishwarya arrested

Anish has filed a complaint against the influencer

• Kannada director Anish abducted, beaten, and robbed in Bengaluru
• Police arrested 11 suspects, including actor-influencer Aishwarya
• Attack linked to disputes over film investment and loan repayment

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A Kannada film director T A Anish was allegedly lured under the guise of a car sale, abducted, severely beaten, and robbed in a shocking case of kidnapping and assault. The case was filed at  Adugodi Police Station and the officials have arrested 11 suspects, including actor-influencer Aishwarya (also known as Ash Mello).

According to PTI, the victim, director Anish, who owns a casting and modelling agency, drove from Mumbai to Bengaluru while working on the movie Jeevanada Bhashe after learning that a buyer was interested in his Honda CRV on February 9, 2026.

According to investigations, a group led by prime accused Ashirwad allegedly beat him with sticks and demanded that he drop previous accusations related to a financial disagreement after he was brought to a home on the outskirts of the city.

The police noted that the reason seems to be a financial issue involving arguments over a film investment of approximately Rs 5–6 lakh and an alleged loan of Rs 2.5 lakh. After the accused allegedly took money out of his ATM card, the director was allegedly robbed of cash and gold ornaments, pushed into a car, beaten again close to a toll booth, and taken to the hospital.

Additionally, investigators believe that some of the accused were in communication with the victim during the assault and that the victim was seduced by known contacts. The victim is recovering from multiple injuries.

Police have stated that additional investigation is being conducted to determine the complete conspiracy and the roles of each defendant, and all 11 accused are currently in custody.

For the unversed, director Anish owns a business, Anish Creations Modelling and Casting Agency. He has directed short films and album songs.

Lakshmi Narayana has invested about Rs 5–6 lakh in the movie he is currently directing, Jeevanada Bhashe. There were disagreements between the complainant and Lakshmi Narayana because of problems with this movie.

According to the official complaint, Anish met Aashi, also known as Ashirwad, while residing at Nanjappa Layout, Adugodi, in 2024. Ashirwad allegedly borrowed Rs 2.5 lakh from him.

The director filed a formal complaint with the Tamil Nadu police through a person named Anen after Ashirwad allegedly threatened him when he asked for reimbursement five months ago.

He later got in touch with Aishwarya from Indiranagar while trying to sell his Honda CRV, and she put him in touch with Shahid, a potential buyer. He met them near Indiranagar on February 9, 2026, after travelling from Mumbai to Bengaluru. Shahid took the car for examination while guiding the complaint to another place to pick up an advance payment.

After the complainant arrived at a second-floor flat purportedly owned by Shahid's brother, he was locked inside and beaten by Ashirwad and a few others with a hockey stick and cricket wicket, apparently in an attempt to get him to drop previous accusations.

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According to reports, he was robbed of Rs 30,000 in cash and gold jewellery before being removed under the guise of recovering phone data. He was allegedly beaten once more, extorted for Rs 5 lakh, and made to take out Rs 5,500 from an ATM before being left at Sanjay Gandhi Hospital after being driven in the direction of Mumbai and diverted to a lonely region.

The plaintiff has demanded severe judicial punishment against all defendants and also claimed that Lakshmi Narayana incited the assault through a video conversation.