Published Apr 26, 2026 | 4:54 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 26, 2026 | 4:54 PM
Actress Ashu Reddy. Credit: facebook.com/Ashureddyofcl
Synopsis: Tollywood actress Ashu Reddy and her family face a criminal case in Hyderabad for allegedly defrauding London-based software engineer Y.V. Dharmendra of ₹9.35 crore between 2018 and 2025. The FIR details promises of marriage, financial manipulation, property disputes, and threats. Police has launched investigation into the alleged honey trap scheme.
A Tollywood actress and social media personality Venkata Aswini Reddy (Ashu Reddy) allegedly cheated one YV Dharmenda, a software engineer based in London, of Rs. 9.35 crore.
A criminal case has been registered against Reddy, her father Venkata Krishna Koyya, her mother Koyya Yashoda Reddy, and sister Koyya Venkata Divya Reddy at Hyderabad Central Crime Station (CCS) police on 20 April, 2026.
The case has been booked as FIR No. 78/2026.
The complaint was filed by Yenumula Satyanarayana Murthy on behalf of his son, Y.V. Dharmendra. The complaint alleges that the “honey trap” and the fraud spanned between 2018 to 2025.
According to the FIR, Dharmendra first came into contact with Ashu Reddy in 2018 when he was in India. They met through mutual friends. At the time, she reportedly told him that she had completed her master’s degree in the United States.
She said she was planning to build a career in the Telugu film industry. Within a few months, the relationship became personal. The actress allegedly expressed love and promised marriage.
The complainant stated that Dharmendra informed her about his ongoing divorce proceedings. Despite this, she reportedly assured him that his past would not affect their future. She continued to promise marriage. This reportedly strengthened trust between them.
The complaint further states that the actress shared personal difficulties. She spoke about issues with her H1B visa. She also said her family had stopped supporting her financially. She expressed a desire to shift to India and pursue acting.
She allegedly requested financial help from Dharmendra. Believing her assurances, he started providing money.
Initially, the requests were said to be for basic needs and career expenses. Over time, the demands increased. The complaint alleged that she began asking for a luxurious lifestyle. This included high-end cars, large quantities of gold, and real estate purchases. Dharmendra allegedly complied with these demands over several years.
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The FIR described a pattern of manipulation. For nearly two years, Dharmendra was allegedly told that his financial support was necessary to gain her family’s approval for marriage. However, in July 2020, the situation changed. When he asked for a formal meeting between families to fix a wedding date, she reportedly refused. No clear reason was given.
Following this, an attempt was made to resolve the issue through mediation. A meeting was arranged with Tollywood actress Hema. During this meeting, Ashu Reddy allegedly agreed to return Rs. 70 lakh. She reportedly issued blank cheques as security. However, the complainant claimed that she later took back the cheques. She allegedly promised to repay the amount through other means. The money was not returned.
The complaint then points to another phase. In November 2020, Dharmendra was allegedly contacted again. The actress’ mother and sister reportedly said she was under severe mental stress. They urged him to resume the relationship. Moved by this, he agreed. The relationship continued.
The FIR stated that this began a repeated cycle. There were reconciliations followed by further financial demands. This pattern continued for years. During this period, Dharmendra allegedly made several large payments.
One major transaction involved a property purchase. The complaint says he bought a flat in Arka Manikonda, near Lanco Hills, for Rs. 3 crore. This was allegedly meant to be their future home. However, while he was in London, the sale agreement was reportedly registered in her name. He claims he was not informed of this at the time.
As the years passed, the situation reportedly worsened. By 2025, communication between them declined. After receiving additional funds, the actress allegedly stopped responding. She reportedly refused to marry him. The complainant says this marked the collapse of the relationship.
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The complaint also made further allegations. It claims that Ashu Reddy was simultaneously involved with another individual, identified as Nammi Siva Jayant. It further alleges that her family members were aware of the situation. They are accused of actively participating in the scheme. The complaint suggests that the entire exercise was aimed at extracting money and assets.
When Dharmendra demanded the return of his money and properties, the situation allegedly turned hostile. The complaint stated that he was threatened. The actress allegedly warned him of false criminal cases. These reportedly included accusations of sexual harassment and abuse.
Following the complaint, CCS police registered the case and began investigation.
