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Instagram blackmail: Man extorts gold, cash from married Bengaluru woman, leaks intimate photos, arrested - Report
A Bengaluru woman was blackmailed by a man she met on Instagram, who used her private photos to extort valuables and shared them with her family.
A 37-year-old Bengaluru woman found herself in a nightmare after a man she met on Instagram exploited her trust, extorting gold and cash and sharing her intimate photos with family and friends. The man, identified as 24-year-old Abhishek M. Naik, allegedly blackmailed her and even contacted her husband, leading to her eviction from her home, The Times of India reported. Authorities reportedly took action, apprehending Naik for his actions.
According to Radhika’s (name changed) complaint, she married in 2012 and has an 11-year-old daughter. Although she and her husband, a real estate businessman, had grown distant over recent years, they still lived together. In early 2021, Radhika met Naik on Instagram. Using accounts under the names "Abhi_373" and "Abhishek_Naik_373," Naik struck up a friendship that eventually turned personal, with Radhika confiding in him about her marital struggles, the report stated.
The pair began frequent video calls and exchanges, with Radhika eventually feeling comfortable enough to share personal photos and videos. Over time, as the relationship soured, Naik started blackmailing her with the explicit content, the publication noted. He demanded gold and cash multiple times, threatening to share her photos if she refused. When Radhika ran out of valuables, Naik followed through on his threats, contacting her husband and sharing images, which led to her being forced out of her marital home in May.
Seeking distance, Radhika changed her phone number and moved in with her sister. However, Naik persisted, even tracking down her sister's address and showing explicit photos to people in the neighbourhood. Concerned for her safety, Radhika approached the police, who caught Naik near her sister’s residence, the publication added.
Naik has been arrested and faces charges under the Information Technology Act and sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including voyeurism and extortion. The case highlights the growing issue of digital blackmail and privacy violations in online relationships.
