Two held for morphing photos of women, blackmailing them

Senior officers said at least 45 complainants have been traced across the country and Rs 12 lakh of the extorted amount has been recovered from the two men.

Delhi Police has arrested a graphics designer and his friend for allegedly morphing pictures of women and men after downloading them from social media websites and blackmailing them for money.

Police recovered from them four mobile phones and two laptops along with multiple SIM cards used in the crime. (Getty)

Senior officers said at least 45 complainants have been traced across the country and Rs 12 lakh of the extorted amount has been recovered from the two men.

Police identified the arrested men as 20-year-old Shoaib Akhtar, a resident of Uttar Dinajpur in West Bengal, who is a diploma holder in graphic designing, and his associate Nasimul Haque, 21, who is from the same place.

Police recovered from them four mobile phones and two laptops along with multiple SIM cards used in the crime.

Deputy commissioner of police (northwest) Vijayanta Arya said last Friday, a woman working with an airline complained that a person had threatened to circulate a morphed photograph of her on the internet if he is not paid.

“A case was registered and we managed to get details of the suspects. Akhtar and Haque were arrested following a raid in Gurugram. Their third associate Jabaar is absconding,” Arya said.

The DCP said four mobiles phones and two laptops recovered from the two men were being checked by forensic experts to track other victims.

The duo said they used to create intimate pictures of women and then sent these to their targets, demanding money for not uploading them on the internet.

Arya said his team has managed to contact another woman based in Allahabad, who also works with an airline. She had also filed a similar complaint against the two men.

“Akhtar told police he was terminated from his private job at an online loan-providing firm during the lockdown, after which he started misusing company data to reach out to its women customers. At least 45 men and women who were targeted by the duo have been traced. Their bank account from which Rs 12 lakh of extorted amount was recovered, has been frozen and further investigation is in progress,” Arya said.