Influencer girlfriend 'blackmails' Lucknow man to stay in relationship, he dies after falling from fourth-floor; mother alleges murder

A 27-year-old restaurant entrepreneur died after allegedly falling from the fourth floor of an apartment near Balu Adda in Lucknow, with his mother accusing his girlfriend, a social media influencer, and her associates of murder. The family has alleged that the man, Shiva Sharma, faced months of blackmail, threats and physical assault linked to his relationship with Shraddha Dubey.

Hazratganj police have registered an FIR against Dubey, her sister Rashmi Dubey, her driver, an associate named Adil and several unidentified people following a complaint by Sharma's mother, Ranjana Sharma. Police are investigating circumstances surrounding his death. The allegations against Dubey and others have not been independently established, and the FIR does not by itself establish guilt.

What happened before Shiva Sharma's death?

Sharma owned a chain of restaurants and also operated a cafe. According to his family's complaint, he had been facing harassment from Dubey for around four months.


Ranjana alleged that Dubey threatened to implicate her son in false cases and damage his reputation if he refused to continue their relationship. She also claimed that he had been subjected to physical violence and intimidation when he resisted pressure to remain with her.

The family suspects that Sharma was assaulted before his death. However, police have not publicly established whether he fell accidentally, died by suicide or was pushed. The precise circumstances leading to his fall remain under investigation.

How did his family learn about his condition?

In her complaint submitted to Hazratganj police on October 10, Ranjana said she received a call from Adil, an associate of Dubey, at around 7 pm on October 9.

According to her account, Adil told her that Sharma's condition had deteriorated and that he was being taken to King George's Medical University in Lucknow.

Ranjana said she reached the medical college with other family members. She alleged that people accompanying her son showed them his body from a distance before fleeing. Doctors subsequently declared Sharma dead.

His mother also claimed that Sharma had multiple injuries and was wearing only underwear when relatives saw his body. These details form part of the family's allegations and have not been independently verified.

What did his mother allege about blackmail?

Ranjana alleged that Dubey had been harassing Sharma for months and pressuring him to remain in the relationship. According to the complaint, threats of false criminal cases and damage to his reputation were used to pressure him when he resisted.

She further claimed that her son had previously been assaulted and intimidated. Ranjana also alleged that Dubey visited her shop about a week before his death and threatened her over Sharma.

The family believes these alleged incidents are relevant to understanding what happened before his death. Police will need to examine the complaint alongside other evidence to establish whether any assault, blackmail or threat occurred and whether it was connected to his death.

What did his sister say about WhatsApp chats?

Sharma's elder sister, Astha, told The Times of India that Dubey had been harassing her brother for several days. She said she had seen WhatsApp chats between the two and had evidence supporting her allegations.

Astha also said the pair met at a party through a common friend about four months earlier.

The family's account suggests that the relationship and alleged harassment began within a relatively short period before Sharma's death. However, the contents of the messages have not been independently established in the available account. Their significance will depend on what the messages show and whether investigators can verify their authenticity and context.

Who has been named in police complaint?

Hazratganj police have registered an FIR against Shraddha Dubey, her sister Rashmi Dubey, her driver, Adil and several unidentified people.

The complaint accuses them of involvement in the alleged assault and death. Police have said they are investigating circumstances leading to Sharma's fall and will take further action based on the family's complaint.

An FIR records allegations requiring investigation. It does not establish that every person named committed an offence. Investigators will need to establish each person's alleged role through evidence before responsibility can be determined.

ACP Hazratganj Rajneesh Verma said police were investigating the circumstances leading to Sharma's fall. He said an FIR had been registered against Dubey, her sister, her driver, Adil and unidentified others, with further action to follow the family's complaint.

The investigation will determine whether the available evidence supports allegations of assault, blackmail, criminal intimidation or murder, and whether charges against particular individuals are warranted.

(Inputs from TOI)