New Delhi, May 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Cyber Police Station of Shahdara district on Saturday busted a sophisticated sextortion racket operating through social media platforms and video calls, leading to the arrest of the alleged mastermind from the Mewat region of Rajasthan.
According to Delhi Police, the accused targeted unsuspecting individuals through WhatsApp video calls, dating applications, and social media platforms before blackmailing them using obscene videos.
A case was registered on May 13 under Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Cyber Police Station Shahdara, following a complaint lodged by the victim.
Police said the complainant alleged that the accused initially contacted him through a WhatsApp video call and played a pre-recorded obscene video featuring a woman. The victim was allegedly manipulated into appearing nude during the video call, after which the fraudsters secretly recorded the interaction.
Later, the victim received the obscene video recorded by the accused, who threatened to make it viral on social media platforms unless money was paid. The fraudsters allegedly demanded Rs 1 lakh from the complainant. Out of fear and embarrassment, the victim initially transferred some amount. However, when the accused continued demanding more money, the complainant approached the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) and lodged a complaint.
Following the complaint, a special police team comprising Inspector Shweta Sharma, ASI Rajdeep, Head Constable Javed, Head Constable Narender, Head Constable Deepak, and Head Constable Vikas was constituted under the leadership of SHO Vijay Kumar and supervised by ACP Operations Shahdara and DCP Shahdara.
During the investigation, the police used technical surveillance and analysed the money trail, which led them to the Mewat region, specifically Ladamka village under Gopalgarh Police Station in Deeg district of Rajasthan.
Police subsequently arrested the alleged mastermind, identified as Arman, a 23-year-old resident of Ladamka village in Mewat. He is educated up to the B.Com level and is believed to be the kingpin of the sextortion racket.
According to investigators, Arman himself made video calls to victims and received the extorted money directly into his own bank account.
During the raid, police recovered two mobile phones and 11 SIM cards from his possession. Investigation of the seized devices revealed nearly 150 obscene videos, including around 50 videos involving multiple victims.
Police said one mobile phone was allegedly used to conduct WhatsApp video calls and chats with victims, while the second phone was used to display pre-recorded obscene videos to trap targets.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed that he used a deliberate and manipulative strategy to commit sextortion. He reportedly obtained victims’ mobile numbers randomly through Instagram and contacted them using fake or misleading profiles on dating and social media platforms.
The accused allegedly initiated friendly and flirtatious conversations before convincing victims to engage in intimate video calls. The victims were then blackmailed and threatened with the circulation of their private videos on social media if they refused to pay money.
Police said the accused used fake identities, concealment tactics, and repeated harassment to psychologically pressure victims into transferring money.
Delhi Police said efforts are underway to identify and arrest other associates involved in the racket.
Issuing a public advisory, Delhi Police urged citizens to remain cautious while interacting with unknown persons on social media platforms, dating applications, WhatsApp, Instagram, and video-calling apps.
Police advised people not to accept video calls or friend requests from strangers and never to share intimate photos, videos, or personal information online. Citizens were also urged not to panic or transfer money if threatened by cyber fraudsters, as making payments often leads to repeated extortion attempts.
Delhi Police appealed to victims of sextortion and cyber fraud to immediately report such incidents through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or by calling the national cyber helpline number 1930.
Police assured strict legal action against cyber criminals and said early reporting significantly increases the chances of tracing offenders and preventing further victimisation.
Source: IANS
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