Delhi: Man held for sending threats, extortion messages to friend’s in-laws

According to police, Shahbaaz, who was pursuing a teaching course after graduation, said that the woman allegedly wanted to harass her in-laws after she started living separately. Shahbaaz allegedly decided to help her after she confided in him

A 21-year-old man was arrested for allegedly conniving with his friend and sending threats, abuses and extortion messages to the latter’s husband and in-laws using different fake international WhatsApp numbers that they had created using a mobile application, police said on Friday.

An iPhone used in the crime was recovered from the suspect by the northeast district’s cyber cell. (Picture for representation only)

An iPhone used in the crime was recovered from the suspect, identified as Shahbaaz, by the northeast district’s cyber cell that registered the case and arrested him on Tuesday, police said.

The woman is yet to be arrested as investigators are looking into her role in the crime, said deputy commissioner of police (northeast) Sanjay Kumar Sain.

According to police, Shahbaaz, who was pursuing a teaching course after graduation, said that the woman allegedly wanted to harass her in-laws after she started living separately due to the differences. She confided in Shahbaaz her problems and he allegedly decided to help her in harassing them.

He also allegedly sent threats and indecent messages to the fiancé of the woman’s sister-in-law as a result of which they broke up.

DCP Sain said that the crime came to light after one Imran, from Bhagirathi Vihar, filed alleging that he and his family members were receiving threats, abuses and extortion messages from different international WhatsApp numbers. “The district cyber cell team collected details of the WhatsApp numbers and found that all of them were operated through the same mobile phone. Through technical investigation, the suspect was identified as Shahbaaz and he was arrested,” said Sain.

During the interrogation, the DCP said, Shahbaaz allegedly admitted that he and the woman downloaded an app to generate duplicate WhatsApp numbers and used them to send the threats and abusive messages.