‘Jailer’ actress Shamna Kasim (Purnaa) has revisited a frightening episode from 2020, when a group of fraudsters allegedly approached her family with a marriage proposal and later tried to extort money from them.

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Recalling the incident in a recent interview with Vanitha magazine, the actor described the experience as something straight out of a film, saying the people involved had gone to elaborate lengths to deceive her family.

Shamna said the gang comprised several people, many of whom belonged to the same family. She also recalled how one person allegedly used five different voices to impersonate different individuals during the deception. The incident was particularly difficult because it attracted considerable media attention, she said. Even hearing her name, Shamna Kasim, mentioned on television during the coverage would make her heart race.

The actress also said the fraudsters had targeted several other women and families through similar marriage-related scams. While the police investigation brought the incident into the public domain, she recalled receiving support from the officers handling the case.

How the 2020 marriage scam unfolded

The case came to light in June 2020, when Shamna's mother approached the Maradu police in Kochi with a complaint. According to the police investigation, the group had initially contacted the family posing as members of a wealthy family from Kozhikode who were interested in a marriage alliance with the actress.

The alleged groom was introduced using the name Anwar Ali, and the family was shown a photograph of another person. The gang reportedly built a rapport with Shamna and her relatives through phone calls before a group of men visited their residence in Maradu, pretending to be the prospective groom's family. During the visit, they allegedly took photographs and videos of the house and the family's vehicle.

The situation took a disturbing turn when a caller later contacted Shamna, claiming that the prospective groom was facing financial difficulties and needed money for a project. The gang allegedly demanded Rs 1 lakh from her. When she refused, the callers threatened to damage her film career and continued to intimidate her. The family subsequently approached the police.

Shamna addressed the controversy publicly through a social media post on June 30, 2020. She clarified that she had no knowledge of the people behind the alleged blackmail and urged the media not to circulate unverified reports linking her to the accused. She explained that her family had been deceived by people using false names, addresses and identities in connection with the marriage proposal. The experience had eventually led them to seek police intervention.

The investigation revealed that the incident was potentially part of a larger operation. Kochi City Police Commissioner Vijay Sakhare said that eight of the 12 people allegedly involved in the conspiracy had been arrested. He also revealed that the gang had discussed abducting Shamna, holding her in a hotel room and demanding a ransom. The plan was reportedly abandoned after the initial attempts to extort money failed.

The probe also brought other alleged activities of the group to light. According to the police, several women, including models, had been lured to Palakkad with promises of modelling assignments and were allegedly held captive and threatened. More women came forward with complaints after the case involving Shamna became public. Police registered multiple cases against the group, including allegations relating to human trafficking.

For Shamna, the experience was not just about an attempted financial scam but also the anxiety of having her personal life and identity repeatedly discussed in public.