In a bizarre and distressing incident in Surat, a 32-year-old diamond worker found himself ensnared in an extortion plot that began innocuously with a friendship request on Facebook. The unsuspecting victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, accepted the virtual overture from a person named Puja Sharma on August 13. Little did he know that this seemingly ordinary act would spiral into a harrowing ordeal involving nudity, deception, and extortion.
After the virtual friendship was established, Puja Sharma and the victim engaged in conversations, eventually exchanging phone numbers. It was during one of these interactions that Sharma proposed a video call, enticing the diamond worker with an offer to undress. Falling prey to the ploy, the victim acquiesced, unknowingly setting the stage for a meticulously orchestrated extortion scheme.
Sharma’s tactics took a dark turn when, after the victim had bared himself on the video call, she abruptly disconnected. Unbeknownst to the victim, this act marked the commencement of a calculated and sinister plan. Shortly thereafter, he received the incriminating video featuring himself and Sharma, delivered to him from an unknown number. The plot thickened as a mysterious individual, posing as ‘DSP’ Sunil Dubey, contacted the victim on August 14.
Claiming authority, ‘DSP’ Sunil Dubey instructed the victim to communicate with a purported YouTube official named Sanjay Singaniya, who demanded a sum of money for the deletion of the compromising video. Fearing the potential consequences and succumbing to the pressure, the victim complied with the demands and transferred a staggering amount of Rs 5.65 lakh in multiple transactions.
As the ordeal persisted, and the victim continued to face threats for additional funds, he reached a breaking point. Realizing the severity of the situation, he decided to seek help from the Surat Cybercrime Police. Reporting the entire chain of events, the victim revealed the extortion, the coercive tactics employed, and the hefty sum he had been forced to part with under the threat of the compromising video being exposed.
In response to the distress call, the Surat Cybercrime Police swiftly took action, initiating an investigation into the matter. The accused individuals involved in this elaborate extortion racket were subsequently booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including IPC 384 (extortion), 170 (impersonating a public servant), 171 (wearing garb or carrying token used by a public servant), 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication), 120 B (criminal conspiracy), and relevant sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act.
This alarming incident sheds light on the vulnerabilities individuals may face in the digital realm, where seemingly innocuous interactions can swiftly transform into sophisticated and malicious schemes. The victim’s decision to seek prompt intervention from law enforcement underscores the importance of raising awareness about online safety and the potential risks associated with virtual engagements. The case serves as a stark reminder of the need for vigilance and caution in the ever-evolving landscape of digital interactions.
