Lawyer blackmailed with obscene photos, duped of ₹30 lakh by Himachal family

A Goregaon lawyer was allegedly extorted of ₹30 lakh by a Himachal Pradesh family, who threatened to leak his photos and file a false assault case.

MUMBAI: In a case of deceit and extortion, a Goregaon-based lawyer was allegedly blackmailed and fleeced of over ₹30 lakh by a family of five from Himachal Pradesh, who threatened to leak his obscene photos online and slap a fake sexual assault case against him.

Lawyer blackmailed with obscene photos, duped of ₹30 lakh by Himachal family

The accused — identified as Parul Rana, her parents Harvindersingh and Mina Rana, sister Nidhi Rana, and associate Konika Verma — have been booked by the Goregaon police under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to cheating, extortion and criminal intimidation. Summons will soon be issued for their questioning, officers said.

According to the police, the complainant, a practising lawyer with expertise in international and trade law, lives with his family in Goregaon. His resume boasts participation in conferences at the United Nations, WTO, ILO, G20, BRICS, and UNICEF, and he is also associated with the Manufacturers’ Association of India.

The trouble began in May 2024, when the lawyer met Parul Rana, a native of Jodhan, Himachal Pradesh, through a mutual friend. Two months later, the pair vacationed in Bali, where Parul allegedly demanded ₹20 lakh from him. When he refused, citing heavy expenses, the relationship soured.

Soon after, Parul allegedly sent him obscene photos of them together and began threatening to post them online and accuse him of sexual assault unless he paid up. Terrified of social humiliation and professional ruin, the lawyer reportedly transferred ₹15 lakh to her in instalments between July 2024 and July 2025.

But the extortion didn’t stop there. As his payments continued, Parul’s parents, sister and associate allegedly joined in — calling and threatening him with criminal cases and social disgrace each time he hesitated to pay. Over time, he claims, the family extracted over ₹30 lakh from him.

Unable to bear the harassment and psychological pressure, the lawyer finally approached the Goregaon police, who registered a case against all five accused.

“The entire family was involved in the extortion racket. They will be summoned for questioning,” confirmed a Goregaon police officer.