“I f****d up, I need to get help.”
A US Indian associate professor at the University of California, San Diego, has been accused of initiating inappropriate conversations with a 14-year-old boy.
Nisarg Jaydeep Shah was confronted in a general store by the Edmonton-based advocacy group ‘People vs Predators’.
They demanded accountability for the allegations, which Shah had previously denied.
During the confrontation, Shah said: “I f****d up, I need to get help.”
Shortly after the encounter, San Diego police arrived at the scene.
They confirmed that Shah could not be arrested because the case remains under investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force.
Lieutenant Travis Easter explained that the ICAC does not collaborate with civilians “acting as undercover operatives”.
This meant that the confrontation video released by ‘People vs Preds’ could not be used as the sole basis for an arrest.
The group shared another video showing Shah allegedly looking for a contraceptive shortly before the public confrontation.
They labelled him as “Catch 539” and released private Grindr messages allegedly between Shah and the 14-year-old.
The chat logs included explicit messages.
In a screen recording posted on the group’s X account, the boy wrote: “Being 14 sucks.”
Shah responded by asking if the boy had built relationships with anyone close to his age, adding: “like at school or something.”
The boy replied: “I told you I’m ‘dl’ [down-low].”
Screenshots show Shah sending images of himself, with both parties allegedly planning a meeting after the boy’s father left the house.
People v. Preds CATCH 539
NISARG JAYDEEP SHAH
SAN DIEGO, CA
HE CAME TO MEET WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A 14 YEAR OLD BOY FOR ADULT PURPOSES… pic.twitter.com/Wb8fh5Gmdq
— People v. Preds (@peoplevpreds) August 3, 2025
Despite the leaked messages, Shah denied wrongdoing.
He said:
“I would have been willing to share my account, my attorney will not let me do so, but he would be happy to speak with you.”
San Diego police confirmed they have registered the phone handed over by the advocacy group as evidence. However, they cautioned that independent stings could endanger both civilians and the wider community.
The University of California acknowledged the allegations and released a statement:
“We will cooperate with all law enforcement agencies as needed during any investigation. The health, well-being, and safety of our campus community members is our top priority.”
As of now, no formal action has been taken against Shah. Authorities continue to investigate the case.
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