Key facts
- YouTuber Jason Samuel arrested on suspicion of extortion and defamation.
- Finance influencer V Harish died by suicide on Tuesday.
- Harish's Instagram account was disabled by Meta for alleged regulatory non-compliance.
- Harish's father alleged cyberbullying and harassment led to his son's death.
A 27-year-old Indian finance influencer, V Harish, who gained a large following on Instagram for his accessible financial advice, died by suicide on Tuesday. His father has accused YouTuber Jason Samuel of cyberbullying and harassment, alleging that Samuel's actions contributed to his son's death. Police arrested Samuel on Thursday on suspicion of extortion and posting defamatory content. Harish's Instagram account, which had over 1.3 million followers, was previously disabled by Meta after complaints that he was not registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to provide financial advice. Samuel, who runs a tech venture studio, has defended his actions, stating he was acting in the consumer interest by highlighting Harish's lack of proper licensing.