The arrest of a photojournalist in Punjab's Ludhiana town following a blackmail complaint by the mayor has blown the lid off a scandal that involves not only unscrupulous sting operations, but also VIPs allegedly caught in compromising positions on CDs.
The seedy sex scandal surfaced when Ludhiana Police on Wednesday arrested small-time photojournalist Amrik Singh Prince for allegedly blackmailing the city's Congress mayor, Nahar Singh Gill.
Besides Prince, two women accomplices -- allegedly used to get Gill in a sex trap -- were also arrested after Gill complained to the city police.
The mayor said Prince was blackmailing him for Rs.2 million in cash and a plot in Ludhiana city from the quota of the city's municipal corporation. Prince had threatened to sell the sex CD to a television channel if his demands were not met.
The mayor, who is an aspirant for the forthcoming assembly polls in Punjab February-March next year, then decided to approach the police.
Ludhiana district police chief A.S. Rai told reporters here that spy cameras, sophisticated electronic equipment and over Rs.450,000 in cash were recovered from Prince.
Rai said it appeared that Prince had been blackmailing other important people as well and had been able to collect money from them.
{{/usCountry}}Rai said it appeared that Prince had been blackmailing other important people as well and had been able to collect money from them.
{{/usCountry}}Police sources said CDs have been confiscated from Prince, who sent his women accomplices to vulnerable targets with the money to fulfil his demands.
After recording their videos with spy camera, he would blackmail them to part with money.
The police have booked Prince on charges of immoral trafficking, threat and extortion.