Actor Aman Verma, known for his role in serials like `Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' and `Devi', has filed a criminal case of blackmail and extortion against television anchor Suhaib Illiyasi and India TV Editor-in-Chief Rajat Sharma.

The complaint has been filed with Mumbai police, advocate Dipesh Mehta, representing Verma said.

According to the complaint, Verma was constantly being telephoned by a girl named Ruchi for past several months. On December 17, the girl came to Verma's Lokhandwala residence and initiated a conversation with him. After some time, the girl suggested that they should move to the bedroom.

Once in bedroom, the complaint alleged, the girl made suggestive advances and requested Verma to get her some role. Verma, however, rejected her advances and suggested to her that she should try harder for roles through honest means.

While he was escorting the girl out of the house, Verma saw Illiyasi at his door along with a cameraman, who claimed that they had caught him on tape in a "sting" operation. Since that day, Illiyasi and Sharma had been allegedly telephoning him for favours, following which the actor on Wednesday filed a complaint.

When contacted for comments, Illiyasi termed the allegations as "totally wild and baseless".

He said "after the Shakti Kapoor expose, people who have committed wrongs in the past, are apprehensive that they too would be exposed in the coming days and are therefore taking pre-emptive steps.

When reached for his comments, Rajat Sharma said he was unaware of the case filed by Verma.

Similar complaints have been made by producers Pehlaj Nihalani and Rakesh Nath who were allegedly caught by India TV's series on the casting couch syndrome in Bollywood.