A shocking case has emerged from Mumbai’s Santacruz area, where an alleged conspiracy to defame renowned Bollywood international makeup artist Daniel Bauer and his business partner Patrick Joseph Danaher (a native of Ireland) on social media and extort money from them has been uncovered.
Mumbai Police have registered a case of extortion and defamation against Mohammad Afzal Khan, who operates the popular Instagram paparazzi handle “Bollywood Badshah 555,” and have launched an investigation into the matter.
According to complainant Patrick Joseph Danaher (46), he has been running the Daniel Bauer Makeup Academy in India along with Daniel Bauer for several years. In January 2026, he came across a social media video that left him shocked. Mohammad Afzal Khan had posted a video on his Instagram and Facebook accounts, tagging Daniel Bauer, Patrick, and their associate Tyrone Braganza.
The video falsely claimed that a case had been registered against the three men based on a complaint filed by a female flat owner, accusing them of molestation, grievous assault, cheating, and hurting religious sentiments. It further alleged that the National Commission for Women had taken cognisance of the matter.
Patrick told the police that he repeatedly requested Afzal Khan to remove the video, but the latter refused.
Subsequently, the video was circulated across more than 20 other social media accounts. During the investigation, it was revealed that the videos posted online were actually CCTV footage and recordings related to an old case that had been sealed under court supervision for police investigation purposes. Afzal Khan allegedly obtained these sensitive videos illegally and made them viral on the internet.
When Patrick’s associate contacted the accused, he allegedly sent a QR code and demanded ₹15,000 in exchange for removing the posts. Fearing reputational damage, Patrick transferred the money via UPI. Thereafter, the accused allegedly demanded an additional ₹2,000, which Patrick also paid.
At the end of March, when Patrick met Afzal Khan at a café in Mumbai Central, the alleged motive behind the conspiracy came to light.
According to Patrick, Afzal disclosed that a woman named Akanksha Tyagi Kelkar had been sending him messages since December 2025, asking him to defame Daniel Bauer and his associates. He further claimed that she had offered him ₹50,000 to carry out the campaign.
Even after allegedly receiving the agreed amount, Afzal Khan did not remove the defamatory content from Facebook and other platforms. Patrick Joseph Danaher has submitted digital evidence related to the case, along with the requisite certificate under Section 63(4) of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, to the police.
Based on the complaint, Mumbai Police have initiated legal action against Mohammad Afzal Khan and the alleged conspirator and are conducting a detailed investigation into the matter.
