Chennai, Oct 22:
Kanathur police have registered a case of abetment to suicide following the death of 27-year-old financial influencer V Harish, whose father alleged that sustained online harassment and cyberbullying had caused severe distress to his son.
Harish, a native of Puducherry, was found dead at a rented villa near Muttukadu earlier this week. He had built a substantial online following through his social media channel, *Finance with Harish*, where he shared content on personal finance and investments. Reports put his following at more than one million.
According to the complaint lodged by his father, J Vinayagam, another online personality, Jason Samuel, had repeatedly targeted Harish through social media posts, videos and alleged threats. The father claimed that Harish’s online accounts had been blocked following mass-reporting and that the loss of his established platforms had affected his work and reputation.
Police are examining the allegations and are preparing to question the individual named in the complaint. Investigators have also indicated that the role of others could be examined and additional names included in the case if evidence establishes their involvement.
Samuel has denied the allegations of cyberbullying. He has maintained that his criticism concerned Harish’s professional credentials and whether he was authorised to provide financial advice. He alleged that Harish did not hold a Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) registration as a registered investment adviser and had misrepresented his credentials.
Police are examining the competing claims, including social media posts and videos connected with the dispute. Digital evidence is expected to form an important part of the investigation.
The case has renewed debate over online harassment, the responsibilities of financial influencers and the consequences of public disputes on social media. However, the allegations against the individual named in the complaint remain under investigation, and the police are yet to establish whether any person’s conduct contributed to Harish’s death.