Man trying to blackmail me: VK Singh’s wife

NEW DELHI: The wife of Union minister VK Singh has filed a police complaint against a Gurgaon man accusing him of trying to extort Rs 2 crore by blackmailing her

NEW DELHI: The wife of Union minister VK Singh has filed a police complaint against a Gurgaon man accusing him of trying to extort Rs 2 crore by blackmailing her with “doctored” audio-video clips to defame her husband.

HT Image

The incident was the second within a week involving a family member of a well known personality after the daughter of President Pranab Mukherjee sought police help following online abuse and threat by a man.

In her complaint at the Tughlaq Road police station, Bharti Singh alleged that one Pradeep Chauhan had even threatened her of “dire consequences” if the money was not paid.

VK Singh, a former army chief, is the minister of state for external affairs in the Narendra Modi government.

“We are investigating the matter and the accused has been questioned by us. He will be called for second round of questioning soon. He is not yet arrested,” said a senior police officer. An FIR was filed on August 12. The complainant said that Pradeep was known to her as a friend of her nephew.

She alleged that he had been calling her for a few days threatening to make public the “doctored” audio and video clips, contents of which were not known to her. The accused allegedly called her several times and threatened to “ruin” her husband’s reputation. Singh also alleged that the accused posted a video on YouTube levelling false allegations against her husband and family.

“I am a senior citizen and a mother to two daughters. My husband is abroad most days, for official work, and the man poses a grave threat to my security,” she said in her complaint.

“He is a very dangerous man and carries gun with him. The police must look into this complaint seriously.”