Akshay Kumar’s Daughter Nitara Targeted in Online Sextortion: Maharashtra Cyber Makes First Arrest
The Maharashtra Cyber department has arrested a person in connection with the cyber harassment case involving Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar’s 13-year-old daughter, Nitara Kumar. Additional Director General of Police Yashasvi Yadav confirmed the arrest on 24 April 2026, stating that the accused was taken into custody after a detailed investigation into inappropriate messages sent to the minor while she was playing an online game.
According to officials, Nitara was targeted while using an online gaming platform, where she received unsolicited messages including a demand for nude photographs. The case came to light when the teenager informed her parents about the incident — a detail that investigators have highlighted as a model of how children should respond to online threats.
How the Case Unfolded
Speaking during a cyber awareness session at R.D. National College in Mumbai, ADG Yadav revealed that information about the case reached authorities through Akshay Kumar himself after his daughter reported the incident at home. “He had a very shocking story to share with us,” Yadav told the audience. “He said that his own daughter was being sextorted. The girl was very brave and informed her parents. Through her parents, we received this information, and that is how we handled the case.”
The investigation involved tracing the digital footprint of the messages sent through the gaming platform, identifying the IP address of the sender, and coordinating with the platform’s moderation team to preserve evidence. Maharashtra Cyber’s specialised unit, which handles cases involving minors, led the operation from start to finish.
Akshay Kumar had first spoken publicly about the incident during a cyber awareness event in October 2025, though details were limited at the time. An old clip of the actor narrating the experience was played during the April 2026 session, underscoring the ongoing nature of online threats against children, regardless of their family’s social standing or resources. The case has drawn attention across India’s celebrity and entertainment circles, sparking wider conversations about digital safety.
The Scale of the Problem in India
The Nitara Kumar case is far from isolated. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, cybercrimes against children in India increased by 32 per cent between 2023 and 2025. Sextortion — the practice of extorting individuals by threatening to share intimate images or demanding such images — has emerged as one of the fastest-growing categories, particularly targeting minors who use gaming platforms, social media, and messaging apps.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has acknowledged the challenge, with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) reporting that while digital arrest scams crashed 86 per cent in 2025 due to aggressive enforcement, crimes targeting children online have proven more difficult to contain because of the anonymity afforded by gaming platforms and encrypted communication channels.
Online Gaming: A Growing Risk Vector
Online multiplayer games, which often include in-game chat and messaging features, have become a significant concern for child safety experts. Unlike social media platforms, which have invested heavily in content moderation and age verification, many gaming platforms have minimal safeguards against predatory behaviour.
In India, the problem is compounded by the explosive growth of the gaming industry. With over 500 million gamers in the country, including a large proportion of minors, the surface area for potential exploitation is vast. The growing digital wellness crisis among Indian children, where half of urban parents report their children are addicted to screens, creates an environment where young users may be especially vulnerable to manipulation.
Child safety advocates have called for mandatory age verification on gaming platforms, stricter content moderation policies, and the implementation of “panic button” features that allow minors to instantly report threatening behaviour to both platform moderators and law enforcement.
What Parents Can Do
Maharashtra Cyber has issued a set of guidelines for parents in the wake of this and similar cases. These include monitoring children’s online activity without being invasive, ensuring that gaming and social media accounts have the strictest privacy settings enabled, and having regular conversations with children about online safety. The department also recommends that parents familiarise themselves with the reporting mechanisms of every platform their children use.
Perhaps the most important takeaway from the Nitara Kumar case is the value of open communication. As ADG Yadav noted, the case was resolved because a 13-year-old girl trusted her parents enough to report what had happened. “This is the model we want every family to follow,” Yadav said. “The child should never feel that they are at fault. They should know that speaking up is the bravest thing they can do.”
Akshay Kumar, who has been vocal about various social causes including high-profile events bringing global attention to India, has used his platform to urge parents to take cybercrime seriously. His willingness to share his family’s experience publicly has been praised by child safety organisations as a powerful example of celebrity advocacy.
Legal Framework and Penalties
Sextortion targeting minors in India is prosecuted under multiple laws, including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012, the Information Technology Act 2000, and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Convicted offenders face imprisonment ranging from three years to life, depending on the severity of the offence. Courts have increasingly imposed stringent sentences in cybercrime cases involving minors, reflecting the broader societal shift toward protecting vulnerable populations in the digital age.
The Maharashtra Cyber department has urged citizens to report any instances of online exploitation of children to the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 or through the cybercrime.gov.in portal. Every report, officials emphasise, contributes to building the intelligence picture that enables proactive enforcement against serial offenders and organised networks.
