In a tale that reads like fiction, star anchor Shazia Nisar and her associate Adarsh Jha stand at the center of a ₹60 crore extortion racket targeting a news channel’s top brass. From flaunting a ₹25 lakh diamond-studded phone to importing exotic cats and purchasing luxury vehicles, police investigations reveal a lifestyle steeped in opulence and deception.
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A Glittering Facade: Luxury Lifestyles and Questionable Wealth
When the Noida police arrested journalist Shazia Nisar in an ongoing ₹60 crore extortion case, they weren’t just unravelling a financial crime, they were peeling back the layers of a life saturated with extravagance. Nisar, who reportedly earned a modest annual salary of ₹13 lakh, was found in possession of a diamond- and gold-studded smartphone valued at ₹25 lakh, and had recently purchased a Scorpio SUV for the same amount in February 2025, all paid for from her own bank account.
Investigators were stunned to learn that Nisar had also imported several exotic cats from overseas, a hobby known to require lakhs in upkeep. She allegedly maintained a high-profile lifestyle that far exceeded her declared income. Adding to the web of deceit, Nisar had transferred more than ₹30 lakh between July 2024 and June 2025 to her co-accused and digital journalist Adarsh Jha, a Noida resident living in a rented flat.
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The Extortion Plot: Threats, False Cases, and Blackmail
According to the FIR filed at Sector-58 Police Station, Nisar and Jha extorted ₹2.26 crore from the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of a Noida-based national news network. The duo allegedly threatened to implicate the CEO in a false rape case and even used the possibility of suicide to coerce money. Between July 2024 and May 2025, eight payments, including ₹51 lakh on February 1, and ₹50 lakh each in March and April, were made to Nisar’s account. The complainant stated that Nisar had demanded ₹60 crore in total and had offered to settle for 15 crore per month over four months.
The police further revealed that Nisar and Jha’s scheme was calculated and executed over a year, during which multiple checks were used to make the payments. Footage has surfaced showing both accused together in Jaipur, suggesting possible coordination trips or financial handovers.
Digital Footprints and a Widening Probe
Despite the magnitude of the allegations, forensic examinations of Nisar’s diamond-encrusted smartphone revealed no objectionable videos, contradicting claims made by the complainant. However, the complainant alleges that Shazia used fabricated messages containing obscene and defamatory content to manipulate and blackmail him.
Delhi Police also confirmed that Shazia purchased a flat in Tilak Nagar during the extortion period. Ownership documents are under scrutiny to ascertain whether the funds originated from the extortion payouts. Investigators believe that a wider syndicate may be involved and are probing the digital trails and financial transactions of both Nisar and Jha.
The duo’s arrest has sent shockwaves through media circles, especially given Nisar’s prominent public image as a news anchor. Her professional history, including her relationship with Jha, which began in 2018, is now under the microscope.
Police officials confirmed that further arrests could follow as they explore other digital media operatives possibly linked to the extortion network. For now, Shazia Nisar and Adarsh Jha remain in judicial custody as investigators tighten the net around what is shaping up to be one of the most sensational media-linked blackmail cases in recent memory.
About the author – Prakriti Jha is a student at National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, currently pursuing B.Sc. LL.B (Hons.) with a keen interest in the intersection of law and data science. She is passionate about exploring how legal frameworks adapt to the evolving challenges of technology and justice.