New Delhi, April 24 (IANS) In a significant breakthrough in a high-value money fraud and extortion case, the Inter-State Cell (ISC) of the Delhi Police Crime Branch on Friday apprehended a wanted accused who was on the run in connection with a sensational blackmailing case registered in Gurugram, Haryana.

The accused is alleged to have extorted Rs 3 lakh from the victim and demanded an additional Rs 15 lakh by threatening to circulate objectionable videos, taking the total fraud amount to Rs 18 lakh.

According to officials, the accused had been absconding for weeks and changing his location to evade arrest. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the Crime Branch team tracked his movement and laid a trap near Patiala House Courts in New Delhi on April 23. The accused was eventually apprehended from Tilak Marg following a targeted and well-coordinated operation.

Police stated that the case was originally registered at Palam Vihar Police Station in Gurugram on March 21, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The complaint was filed by a resident of Palam Vihar, who alleged that she had come into contact with the accused during yoga classes conducted by him during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over time, the accused developed a close personal relationship with the complainant and allegedly established physical relations with her. He also reportedly received financial assistance from the victim during this period.

The matter took a serious turn when the accused allegedly began secretly recording private and objectionable videos of their interactions. Police said he later used these videos to blackmail the victim and demand money. Under pressure and fear of social repercussions, the complainant initially paid Rs 3 lakh to the accused after he assured her that the videos would be deleted. However, investigators revealed that the accused retained copies of the videos and continued to misuse them.

In March 2026, the accused allegedly escalated the matter by sending the objectionable content to the victim’s husband and demanding an additional Rs 15 lakh. Following this, the victim approached the police and formally lodged a complaint. During a subsequent operation on March 21, Gurugram Police managed to catch the accused’s wife, identified as Nitu Sharma, red-handed while she was collecting the extortion money. However, the main accused managed to flee at the time and remained absconding until his recent arrest.

The Delhi Police Crime Branch formed a dedicated team to trace and arrest the accused, considering the gravity and sensitivity of the case. The team, comprising multiple officers and led by senior officials, worked on technical surveillance and human intelligence inputs. A breakthrough came when specific information was received regarding the accused’s likely visit to the Patiala House Courts area. Acting swiftly, the team laid a trap and successfully apprehended him.

During interrogation, the accused reportedly confessed that he had deliberately kept copies of the objectionable videos even after receiving money from the victim. He admitted that due to financial difficulties, he re-established contact with the complainant in March and demanded a larger sum after sharing the videos with her husband as a means of pressure.

Police investigations further revealed that the accused has a criminal history. He was previously involved in a murder case in Sahibabad, Uttar Pradesh, and had spent approximately eight to nine years in judicial custody. He was granted bail in 2018, after which he started conducting yoga classes, which eventually became the means through which he came into contact with the victim.

Following his arrest, the accused was produced before the court of Ld. CJM New Delhi in New Delhi. The investigating officer from Gurugram has taken his custody for further interrogation and legal proceedings. Police officials confirmed that further investigation is underway to determine whether more victims were targeted using a similar modus operandi.

–IANS

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