Friendship mistaken for love in Mumbai:Man reached Bhopal to confess but held woman hostage; court sentenced him to three years

A Mumbai friendship mistaken for love led to a terrifying hostage drama in Bhopal’s Fortune City in July 2018. The accused, Rohit Singh Regal, who claimed he loved the young model, held her captive for 13 hours, attacked her with scissors, circulated her private photos, and demanded to marry her. Four years later, a district court sentenced him to three years in prison. A flashback to the 2018 incident In the first part of Madhya Pradesh crime files, it was described how, on 13 July 2018, police and media rushed to Fortune City, a posh residential colony in Misrod, Bhopal. Inside flat number 503, a young model was held hostage by Rohit Singh Regal, a man who claimed he loved her. Despite repeated attempts by police to rescue her, Rohit attacked the woman with scissors and kept her confined for nearly 12 hours. As the hours passed, his behaviour became increasingly erratic, leaving the police struggling to negotiate with him. Rohit plays the ‘victim card’ Throughout the standoff, Rohit kept threatening to harm the woman, whom we refer to as Disha (name changed). He frequently appeared at the window, flashed a victory sign, and insisted he would speak only to the media. When police tried using a crane to access the fifth-floor flat, he threatened to kill her. He also recorded a video from inside the flat, showing blood-stained floors and a semi-conscious Disha. In the video, Rohit claimed that police were beating them on the instructions of the station in-charge. He introduced himself as: I am Rohit Regal Singh from Aligarh. This is Disha from Bhopal… we were good friends and true lovers. Rohit circulated private photos of Disha to journalists, which quickly went viral. His demand: Fearing for Disha’s life, the police hesitantly complied. 13 hours later: The door finally opens Police brought stamp paper and forcibly obtained Disha’s signature. The forced statement read: I want to marry Rohit Singh alias Regal Singh. We have known each other for two years. We work together in Mumbai. If we do not marry, we cannot live. Once the agreement was shown live on TV channels, Rohit relaxed and opened the door. The scene inside was horrifying—
Disha lay soaked in blood, terrified and barely conscious. Rohit was immediately arrested, and Disha was rushed to a private hospital. How their story began in Mumbai Disha, an MTech graduate from Bhopal, had moved to Mumbai to pursue a modelling career. Rohit, a resident of Aligarh, was struggling to make his way in acting. They met in March 2017, became friends, and by July the friendship had grown stronger. But Rohit misunderstood the friendship.
To him, it was love.
To Disha, it was just companionship. Disha realises Rohit’s obsession By November 2017, Disha sensed Rohit’s behaviour was becoming obsessive. His conversations turned intense, and he began showing signs of unhealthy attachment. Disturbed by his actions, she slowly distanced herself. But for Rohit, rejection was unbearable. He began harassing her, and his behaviour grew more aggressive. Finally, in February 2018, she decided to leave Mumbai and return home to Bhopal, hoping the distance would end his obsession. Her family included her parents and a younger sister; her father was a retired BSNL officer. Obsession follows her to Bhopal But Rohit tracked her down.
He reached Bhopal and pressured her to marry him. He even took her to Bhojpur Temple and forced a marriage proposal on her—Disha firmly refused. Enraged, Rohit barged into her home, abused her, and threatened to kill her. When neighbours gathered, he fled. After this, Disha’s family filed a police complaint. Rohit was arrested and sent to jail. But a few months later, once out on bail, his obsession returned—more dangerous than before. The stage was set for the violent hostage drama of July 2018. Legal action and final verdict Police recovered from Rohit: On 14 July 2018, Misrod police registered an FIR under: The case went to court, where 14 witnesses testified against Rohit. After four years of trial, on 29 October 2022, the Bhopal District Court convicted and sentenced him to three years of rigorous imprisonment. A chilling reminder of obsession The disturbing case remains etched in Bhopal’s memory—a reminder of how one-sided love, when combined with obsession, can endanger lives. For Disha, the ordeal was not just physical but deeply traumatic. Rohit’s story ended behind bars, but the scars of the 13-hour nightmare still linger as one of Bhopal’s most shocking crime incidents.