Two arrested for blackmailing Andheri bizman with intimate video

A 47-year-old internet service provider from Veera Desai Road in Andheri West has lodged a case with the Amboli police after two persons started blackmailing him by threatening to leak his intimate videos with his wife. The Amboli police have arrested the duo who had allegedly demanded ₹10 lakh from the complainant.

The arrested accused are identified as Shabin Aslam Shah, 23, a resident of Marol, and Abhijit alias Sumit Gulab Chandra Gupta, 28, a resident of Veera Desai Road.

According to the police, the complainant started getting calls from July 24 from the accused who demanded extortion money. “The caller told the complainant that he had footage of his personal moments, and later, threatening to leak it on social media, demanded ₹10 lakh from him,” said a police officer from Amboli police station.

The complainant then lodged a case with the Amboli police. “We registered a case against unknown accused under Sections 379 (theft) and 384 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code and under Sections 43B (data theft), 66 (computer-related offences) and 66D (cheating by personation by using computer resource) of the Information Technology Act, 2000,” said a police officer.

The police then identified the accused through technical investigation and apprehended them. “We arrested the duo and discovered that while surfing a porn site, they had spotted the video of the couple. As one of them knew the complainant, they decided to make some quick money,” said the police officer.

The accused got the complainant’s cell number and started blackmailing him. “They asked him to pay ₹10 lakh, failing which they said they would post the video on social media. However, the complainant approached us and we immediately traced the duo and arrested them,” said the police officer.

Asked how the complainant’s video reached a porn site, the police officer said that his house had cameras from which somebody probably stole the footage and uploaded it. “On further inquiry, things will become clearer,” he said.