30-year-old stalked, sexually harassed and blackmailed by social media friend

Around a week ago, the suspect allegedly uploaded the woman’s obscene photos on social media platforms to defame her, and she finally gathered the courage to report him to the police.

A 30-year-old woman was allegedly stalked, sexually harassed, and blackmailed by a man she befriended a social media in Greater Noida’s Surajpur locality, police said on Monday, adding that around a week ago, the suspect allegedly uploaded the woman’s obscene photos on social media platforms to defame her, and she finally gathered the courage to report him to the police.

Based on the woman’s complaint, the man, Dilip Shekhawat, was booked on charges of harassment under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and IT Act and arrested, police said. (AFP/representational image)

Police said the woman reached the Surajpur police station on Sunday and lodged a complaint against Dilip Shekhawat, a man she met on a matrimonial site.

Based on her complaint, Shekhawat was booked on charges of harassment under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and IT Act and ]arrested, police said.

Surajpur, station house officer, Pushparaj Singh said, “The woman, a resident of Greater Noida, works at a government institution in the city.”

“She stated in her complaint that she came in contact with Shekhawat through a matrimonial site. They became friends and Shekhawat used to visit her office. But something made her maintain a distance in the relationship and this made the suspect start abusing her in text messages and tried to defame her by contacting her relatives,” said SHO Singh.

Around a week ago, police said Shekhawat allegedly uploaded her obscene photographs on social media platforms and updated her personal mobile number on a matrimonial site. Since then, she has been receiving calls from unidentified numbers, the investigators said.

Singh said, “The woman further alleged that Shekhawat started stalking her on her way to office and threatened her with dire consequences if she refused to talk to him.”

“Fed-up of the constant harassment, the woman finally gathered courage and approached Surapur police station. A sexual harassment and criminal intimidation case under sections of the IPC and IT Act was registered against Shekhawat at Surajpur police station and he was arrested,” said Singh, adding that further investigations are underway in the matter.