E-blackmail: Court saves man from girl

On constant internet chat for friendship or love? Do not get too close to your “partner” without closely examining his or her profile.

On constant internet chat for friendship or love? Do not get too close to your “partner” without closely examining his or her profile.

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The message is from the Delhi High Court which spelt relief to a 25-year-old youth who had been harassed and hassled by his “partner”. Ramesh (name changed), employed with a MNC in Gurgaon had innocently chatted with a Mumbai-based girl (Rakhi) both IIT graduates. They got into “serious friendship” which she mistook for love. The girl then began threatening to commit suicide if he did not marry her.

In his petition before the court, Ramesh accused Rakhi of “emotional blackmail”. It was only after their meeting that he realised she was five to six years elder to him and that she was unacceptable to his family.

Realizing the complexity of the matter, Justice Mukta Gupta heard the matter in her chamber. The judge made the girl understand the consequences of her belligerence. After much persuasion, the girl promised the judge she would not communicate with Ramesh anymore. The matter ended there. “Both will not write letters, emails or make communication with each other,” the court made it clear to the boy and the girl.

Ramesh moved the court after the girl’s suicide threat. They began chatting on internet in August 2010. The duration of the chat gradually grew longer and often ended late into the night. He said as the friendship grew, she insisted upon meeting him and came over to Delhi last November. “After meeting me, she began pressing for marriage despite being five to six years older to me,” he told the court.