Conman held for blackmailing woman

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A 40-year-old fraudster who was blackmailing a woman for money by uploading her private photographs on social media sites has been arrested by the police.

The accused, identified as Vijaykumar alias Viji, a resident of Shivanagar in Rajajinagar, got to know the victim, aged 33 years, through a matrimonial website. The victim, a single mother, had registered her profile for a second marriage.

He agreed to marry her and started taking her private pictures and posted them on social media. He created three fake Instagram accounts in the victim’s name to post the pictures.

He then blackmailed her and got Rs 50,000. But he soon started pestering her for more money. The victim then reported the matter to the police and the conman was arrested on Tuesday in Vidyaranyapura.

The cybercrime police suspect he may be a habitual offender targeting women who post their profiles on various matrimonial websites.

“The accused has even shared the photographs with the victim’s friends and family members. Requesting the accused to delete all the fake accounts and also to remove her photographs, she has given him Rs 50,000 through UPI transaction. When he demanded more money, the victim filed a police complaint against him,” said an officer on part of investigations.

After his arrest, the police recovered a mobile phone and other valuables. The victim made UPI transactions to five numbers the accused gave her.